The Standstill
by SpaceNut
Summary: Zach and Cammie have been able to enjoy the last months of their final semester in bliss. With the Circle gone, it seems nothing can keep them apart. But will their own doubts drive them away from each other?
1. It's the Janitor's Closet

**Summary: Cammie and Zach finally became an item after they brought down the circle. But now, as graduation approaches, they might hit a standstill in their relationship. So I've been itching to write this and I've gotten around to it! Yay! Also, I'm on my summer break (Thank goodness!) so you can probably be expecting more material from me in the next few months. YAY! So the first chapter is pretty easy going. I haven't brought in much of the plot yet. However, I can guarantee there is much more to come. If Zach seems to nice, romantic, sweet, etcetera, sorry! I tried to mirror his personality in Out of Sight, Out of Time. He was so adorable in that book! Ok, maybe it's just me… I suppose 'hot' would be the correct word. Anyways, I will be updating soon. Enjoy my lovely readers!**

** Disclaimer: All rights belong to Ally Carter. I don't own the Gallagher Girls series. One can only dream.**

**Chapter 1: Cammie's POV**

I laughed as Zach dragged me through the hallways of Gallagher, walking backwards so he could face me and grasping my hands tightly.

"Zach!" I tried again for the millionth time. "Where are we _going_?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out. Now c'mon! We are never going to make it in time if we keep going at this pace." He pulled me a little faster so he was jogging.

"What could we possibly miss? It's a Friday night at a spy school. Everyone is at Tina's James Bond movie marathon." Raising my eyebrows, I sped up my pace slightly to keep up with him.

"Everyone but us."

I rolled my eyes. "Obviously," I mumbled.

"You are _so slow_, Gallagher Girl. Aren't you supposed to be a spy?" He jerked me forward slightly, causing me to stumble and land on my knees.

I looked up to glare at him, only to catch him smirking. He offered me his hand which I grudgingly accepted. Then pulled him down beside me.

"Cam, Gallagher Girls are trained to act like 'exceptional young women', are they not?" He pushed himself up off the floor.

"You're hopeless." I groaned.

"Maybe so, but that is no excuse if we're late." He complained.

"You're the one that made me trip so-" I was cut off as Zach wrapped his arms around my waist and threw me over his shoulder.

"Zach! Put me down!" I screeched and banged my fists against his back.

"No. You're too slow. We're doing this the hard way." He broke into a sprint so I was bobbing up and down against him. His arms were wrapped tightly around the skin right above my knees. I had my hands braced against his back to keep my face from banging against his spine.

"Zach! I'm wearing a skirt!" I yelled, loud enough to get the point across but quiet enough so that no one nearby would hear.

"You'll get over it." He turned a corner. I clutched tightly to his shirt to keep from sliding off his shoulders.

Now, you're probably thinking 'Cammie, you've taken down an entire terrorist organization. How can you not escape your _boyfriend_?' Okay, well you got me there. I can currently think of eleven ways I could have slipped away from him, (One tactic involves an illegal liquid that I'm not allowed to specify on so we won't go into details) but I may have been secretly enjoying having him carry me through the school like that. Maybe. Don't judge me, I'm a teenage girl trained in the field of espionage! We have strange fantasies!

I think he realized the same thing, because it wasn't long before he laughed. "You like this don't you Gallagher Girl?" He turned sharply and I pulled even tighter on the balled up part of his shirt in my hands.

"What?" I scoffed. "Get over yourself Goode." It was at this moment I was seriously thankful he was facing away from me. This way, he couldn't see the deep blush creeping up my cheeks.

Zach laughed again and I couldn't help but crack a smile. He knew me too well. "Alright, we're almost there." Zach put one of his hands on my back and eased me down to my feet. I tried to give him a defiant look, but when I saw his grin I think I ended up giving him one of Liz's sheepish smiles.

We were standing at… the janitors' closet. Okay, now I wasn't expecting some big romantic picnic or anything, but this was pretty lame.

"What are we doing? Browsing for a new mop?" I turned back around to face Zach.

"Think again." He twisted the door knob and stepped inside, flipping on the light switch.

I didn't see anything special. The room was illuminated by a lone light bulb that hung down from the ceiling. The walls were lined with old wooden shelves that stored bottles of Windex, bleach, and everything else I'd expect to find. There were several brooms and mops in one corner, accompanied by some black dust pans. There was a box of rags in front of one shelf and a ladder leaning against the only bare wall.

"Zach, I'm thinking this is just a janitor's closet." I gave him a suspicious look.

"Yeah, it is." Zach walked over to the ladder and pulled it to the center of the room. He set his foot on the first rung and looked over his shoulder at me. "You coming or not Gallagher Girl?"

So I knew Zach was _different_, per say. Given the whole 'his mother tried to kill me and he went to a school for assassins' ordeal, I never expected him to be exactly normal. (Or anything close to normal for that matter) But honestly, I never took him to be crazy.

"Oh sure Zach, why don't we take a magical journey on the ladder of wonders all the way up to the mystical light bulb!" If you didn't catch it, that was _sarcasm_.

Zach chuckled. "Just trust me on this one."

"Fine," I grumbled and followed him up the steps.

He pulled down a ceiling tile and let it fall to the ground. I looked up to see that there was a key pad in the ceiling tile's place.

"You've got to be kidding me! How did I never find that?"

"It's alright Gallagher Girl. We already knew I was a better spy anyways. No need to be surprised."

I couldn't see his face, but I'm willing to bet my life that he was smirking, as always. I reached my hand up and punched his side.

"Ouch Gallagher Girl, that hurts!" He turned slightly to glare at me.

"You knew it was coming."

"Whatever." A light on the key pad blinked green and soon the small room didn't look as dank. A square of the ceiling slid away to reveal a bright blue Virginia sky.

"No way." I spoke, dumbfounded.

Zach stepped onto the top of the ladder despite all the stickers that warned such actions would result in possible death. (Oh yeah, us spies are true dare devils sometimes) He wrapped his hands around the edge of the opening and hoisted himself up easily. I followed suit and found myself standing on the Gallagher mansion's roof.

"How?"

Zach pointed a finger at himself. "Spy."

This resulted in me scoffing, even though I kinda thought he was really hot at the moment. He didn't need to know that though. I walked in a small circle, taking in the sights. Most of the view was obstructed by higher parts of the building, but one side had a perfect scene laid out. I smiled when I realized what Zach had been rushing for.

"So," Zach sat down on the ground and looked back at me over his shoulder. "Care to join me and watch the sunset?"

I smiled at that. "I always knew you were secretly sappy." I plopped myself down beside him, entwining our fingers together so that our clasped hands rested between us.

Zach ran his free hand through his like those hunky movie stars always do. (Yes, I just used the word hunky...) "You love it, don't you Gallagher Girl?" He smirked, _again_.

"Sure." I rested my head on his shoulder. The sun was nearing the horizon now.

"I knew it." He kissed my forehead gently. I sighed.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**So, what'd you think? Because you know, I'm dying to read your reviews. Hope you liked it. As previously stated, I'll update soon. The next chapter will begin where this one ended. Yeah, something's gonna happen. :O Crazy, I know. Anyways, thanks so much for reading! God bless you and Happy Thursday! **


	2. The Wow Factor Goes Missing

** Chapter two! :D Hallelujah! So this is definitely a shorter chapter compared to what I'm used to, but don't get mad! I'll be putting up chapter three soon! Anyways, I won't bore you with a super extensive and pointless intro that you don't really care about. (You're welcome) ;)**

** Disclaimer: Ally Carter owns everything… bummer.**

**Chapter Two: The Wow Factor Goes Missing**

The sun was gone, but we lingered on the rooftop. Zach was leaning back on his elbows with his legs fixed in front of him. My head rested on his stomach. Only the gleam of Roseville's streetlights in the distance and the few beams of moonlight shining through the trees lit the night. I felt Zach shift beneath me. He freed one of his hands and started combing his fingers through my hair. I looked up at him and smiled.

"I have to be honest Zach." I broke our comfortable silence. "I'm impressed. This is really… nice."

"I wouldn't have it any other way Gallagher Girl." He brushed his fingers over my temple and down my cheek.

I'd like to deny it, but I think I started blushing because Zach was full on grinning. "You're adorable." He laughed.

"Shut up." I slapped his arm. You'd think I'd be used to compliments by now. I still get caught off guard when he gets this way. Macey calls it his 'boyfriend mode'. I like to think he's always this sweet; he just keeps it locked up inside. Of course, I'm probably wrong.

"Nah," He smirked. He pulled his hand through my hair one last time before resting it on my neck. Siting up, he wrapped his other arm around my waist as I sat up with him. Slowly, he pulled me close to him and I leaned forward. I closed my eyes as I anticipated the overwhelming sensation of what I like to describe as the 'wow factor' that I always felt when Zach kisses me. My anticipation was pointless. Zach didn't kiss me. I opened my eyes.

His pupils had grown wide with… fear? No that's crazy. Zach isn't easily scared. He blinked several times before dropping his hands to his sides.

"Zach, what's wrong?" I set a hand on his left shoulder.

"I," He shook his head. "I gotta go Cam. I'm so sorry, I really gotta go." He gave me a chaste kiss on the cheek that did NOT fulfill my previous expectations.

"What? It's 8:21 on a Friday night. Where could you possibly have to go?" Seriously, we go to an all-girls school. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't severely worried.

"Uh, Joe wanted to talk to me tonight. Sorry Cam, I totally forgot." He stepped down onto the ladder. "I'll see you at breakfast, okay?" All I could see was his head.

"Zach, I-"

"I'm sorry Cammie!" He shouted as he finished his descent down the ladder.

I sat there rather bewildered-looking. Don't get me wrong, I'm not an obsessively clingy girlfriend. I give Zach plenty of space, but something just wasn't right. I pulled my legs into my chest and tucked my knees under my chin, pondering. While Zach's lie made perfect sense, there was one thing he missed. Zachary Goode doesn't _forget_.

**DUH, DUH DUHHHHH! That was supposed to be dramatic music. So yeah, the plot has arrived. Stay tuned and I'll be sure to update soon. Reviews are extremely appreciated! God Bless you and Happy Memorial Day! Thanks for reading!**

**~SpaceNut**


	3. Cammie's Having Boy Trouble

** I've completed the third chapter! :O Yep, it has arrived. Thank you all so much for your incredibly kind reviews! They make me smile like you wouldn't believe! Please, don't be afraid to drop a review or PM me. Seriously, I don't have a life. I need this. (Haha… okay, I **_**kinda**_** have a life) Anyways, moving on… this sweet little chapter will include Cammie's amazing friends that I love so much. So, I hope you enjoy them. I definitely enjoyed bringing in their characters. So here we go…**

**Disclaimer: I own everything! Haha…no. All rights belong to Ally Carter.**

**Chapter 3: Cammie's POV**

"Guys, I'm kind of worried," I spoke through the toothpaste that had foamed inside my mouth. I ducked lower to the sink and spat out the minty flavor.

"Why? Is it because of the test Madame Dabney has scheduled for next Tuesday? You'll do fine Cammie, and you can always study with me if you want." Liz smiled at me from the bathroom threshold.

Macey snorted from her bunk. "Oh please, she's not worried about some silly _test._"

"She's not?" Liz turned around to eye Macey. "How would you know?"

"Liz, you're the science wiz. Figure it out." Macey laid down her latest issue of Vogue and sat up on her top bunk.

Liz's eyebrows scrunched up and she puckered her lips. Anyone that has met Liz knows that this is her 'calculating' expression. After several seconds of thinking, her face loosened and she gave an annoyed puff of air. "She hasn't provided any data that proves otherwise. You can't rule out any possible hypothesizes yet. It's illogical. How would you know the answer if the question is lacking details?"

I laughed to myself. Liz was a nerd, but I loved her for it.

Macey rolled her eyes. "No extra data is needed to know that Cammie is worried about her _boyfriend_." She turned her eyes away from Liz and fixed them on me. "Aren't ya Cam?" She raised a perfect plucked eyebrow.

I just stared back at her, amazed. Was I really that easy to read?

Macey smiled. "It's okay Cam. I'm very perceptive of social behavior. And I know you very well." She added the last part with a tilt of her head. I knew she was thinking back to when she ran away to Mr. Solomon's cabin. We had a special bond, unlike the ones I had with Liz and Bex. We'd seen each other in a way no one else had.

I found myself smiling back at Macey. I was about to explain to Liz that this wasn't science, more of an emotional linkage. I was interrupted by a highly-trained British beauty bursting through the door.

"Hey guys!" Bex grinned. "Check out what I found!" She held up a family size bag of Cheetos. "Someone left them in the commons room after the movie marathon." She pulled one out and popped into her mouth. "Want some?" She held out the bag to me.

"It's a good thing you're here Bex." Macey said. "Cammie's having boy trouble." She gestured at me with her hands.

"What? What'd he do Cam?" Bex tossed the Cheetos bag onto her bottom bunk and placed her hands on my forearms. "I'll kill him, I promise."

I laughed, "I know you will Bex, no need for promising." I pulled out of her grasp and sat down on the floor in front of her bunk. "But seriously, everything's fine guys. I'm just a little concerned."

"About?" Liz sat down next to me.

"Well, Zach and I were…" I stopped and tried to think of what our little trip would be classified as, "On a date, I guess. He was just about to kiss me when he started getting all jittery and left."

"Did he say why?" Bex asked as she untied her favorite pair of Asics. "Maybe he needed to finish homework or something, nothing to worry about."

"Yeah he did. He said that Mr. Solomon needed to see him. But the thing is, Zach wouldn't forget something like that. He loves talking to Solomon." I turned to my team of fellow operatives that I trusted with my life.

Liz elbowed my arm. "Maybe he was caught up in the moment with you. What if you were all he was thinking about?" Then she smiled. "Aw! That would be so sweet!"

Bex laughed, but then shrugged. "It's possible. I think it's pretty clear that he's fallen madly in love with our Cammie."

"You think?" I asked. They were spies. They had very valuable opinions, and if they thought Zach loved me… well, I didn't mind taking their opinions into consideration.

"Duh!" Bex and Liz said in perfect unison.

Then I looked up at Macey to find her staring out the window at perfectly trimmed school grounds. She had been uncharacteristically quiet throughout our whole conversation. And I know very well, Macey likes to make her thoughts heard. "You okay Mace?" She peeled her eyes away from the window to look at me. "You've been awfully quiet."

"I'm fine." She smiled and jumped down from her bunk. "I ought to get ready for bed." She pulled a pair of flannel pajama pants and a purple tank top out of her closet and then made her way towards the bathroom.

"You sure?" I raised my eyebrows at her.

"Positive," She winked reassuringly and closed the door.

I looked from Bex to Liz with a question written on my face. (Figuratively, of course. The last time I had a _real_ question written on my face was last year in the Baxter mansion. That night included a fine point sharpie, one particular British Bombshell, and an unhealthy lack of sleep. Mr. Baxter was not happy with what he found the next morning, but anyways…) "What's wrong with Macey?" I mouthed.

They both shrugged and proceeded to prepare for bed also.

Well, now I was going to have to investigate two mysteries in the morning. A good night's sleep would definitely be needed.

**:O Oh my… Haha, just kidding. I know what's gonna happen! Mwahahaha… don't worry I'll be updating soon. Now, I know what you're thinking. "Zach's cheating on Cammie with Macey!" Well… I don't give spoilers, but you'll see soon enough. So there you have it, a slightly longer chapter just for you. I have most of the next chapters planned out, though the story might become longer than I expected. (approximately ten chapters?) But who knows, certainly not me. Reviews are SO appreciated! Really, I love reading what you think. It definitely helps me build on my writing skills and critique my mistakes. I'm always open to suggestions so don't be shy to post some of your thoughts. Thanks a million for reading! God bless you!**

**P.S. To Julimeg, (if you're reading this) **

** I loved your idea to create a chapter in Zach's Pov. I always have tons of fun writing from his character's perspective because, well, let's face it, he's amazing. However, (as cruel as it may be) I want to keep you all in suspense of what he's up to. No, he is not actually going to talk to Joe Solomon. I'm afraid that Zach's a big fat LIAR. But I suppose you can't really blame him. After all, I'm the one that made him lie… on second thought, blame him. Haha… Well thank you so much for reading and supporting my writing! You are the BEST! I suppose I should have PMed this to you…too late now. Anyways, thanks for the suggestion! I may write from his Pov towards the end of the story, but not quite yet. I am cruel, I know.**

**Love,**

**SpaceNut**


	4. Zach vs Orlando

**CHAPTER FOUR! Woohoo… I made it! It's longer… yay. I want to say thanks for all the awesome reviews you guys are giving me! I love seeing each and every one. I always take your opinions into consideration if you leave a suggestion. So please do. So yea, sorry that it took me a while to update, but I've been crazy busy. Here we go… after the disclaimer of course. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Gallagher Girls series. Ally Carter does… but I'll get the rights one of these days! (insert maniacal laugh here) **

**Chapter 4: Cammie's POV**

Well Zach kept his promise. When I walked into the dining hall for breakfast, he was sitting at our regular table and smiling at me. I gave him a quick and subtle wave and passed by the rows of tables until I was standing in front of our buffet line. Grabbing a tray, I loaded it eggs and toast. I picked up a glass of pulp-free orange juice. Then, I walked back to Zach and sat down next him.

"Good morning beautiful," He wrapped his hand around mine, still smiling.

In the back of my head, a voice reminded me that I was supposed to be feeling suspicious. I should be questioning him with some of my favorite interrogation tactics. I was the operative and he was the subject. But I didn't want to ruin want to ruin the moment, (and to be honest, I was swooning like a pathetic groupie because he just called me beautiful) so I went for a simple approach.

"So what did Mr. Solomon have to say?" I asked, smiling back and taking a sip of my juice.

Zach's word came easily. "That's classified Gallagher Girl." He winked at me.

I grumbled. "Seriously?"

"Yes, seriously." He laughed and took a bite of his apple.

Gosh, you'd think I'd have some leverage being his_ girlfriend_, but _nooo. _He's just as secretive and cocky as when I first met him. Of course, he probably wouldn't be Zach without those qualities.

Bex and Liz slid onto the bench across from me and set their trays down on the wooden table with a clang.

"Morning," Zach flashed them a grin.

"Well someone's in a good mood." Bex commented, reading my mind. She stabbed her fork into a pancake.

Zach shrugged. "Why would I not be in a good mood?"

Liz looked up from her plate. "According to my statistics, you're only noticeably happy 7% of the time you're in our company. For example, there was the day Mr. Solomon came out of his coma. Then there was Cammie's birthday and that town day where you bought Cammie a rose." She giggled at this point. "Cammie was a very happy camper that night."

I faced-palmed myself, and Zach just chuckled. "Shut up, Zach." I growled.

Liz went on. "Me and Cammie actually made a chart if you'd like-"

"Liz!" I screeched, my eyes growing twice their size. She did not just say that… You can't just tell people these things! We do stuff like this is private because no one else is _ever_ going to find out!

"What?" She held up her palms innocently. She glanced back and forth between me and Zach. "Oh, "She blushed. "Sorry Cam, I suppose some things are best left unsaid, huh?"

Zach was hunched over and clutching his stomach, practically dying of laughter. (Which is impossible, Liz tested it.) Bex was holding her mouth with her hands, trying to keep her laughs from escaping. I was holding my head in my hands, too embarrassed to let them see the terrible red color my face was turning.

"Sorry Cammie…" Liz reached out and patted my should in sympathy.

I picked up my head and snuck a look at Zach. "You can dump me now. I'd understand."

He put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his chest, still laughing. "Why would I do that Gallagher Girl?" He kissed my forehead. "I think it's adorable that you pay so much attention to me." He winked.

"Ugh." I groaned. He was really warm. Was he always this warm? Why have I never noticed this?

Macey walked up to the table and took a onceover of all our expressions. "So what embarrassing moment did I miss?" She turned her eyes to Bex.

"Liz told Zach about the chart." Bex told her.

Macey snorted. "Man, it took us _forever_ to gather the data for that thing. We had to do DNA tests for weeks and there was that one night when we snuck into your suite and took a blood test-"

"What?" Zach looked at me like I was the mad scientist from Frankenstein. "You said the chart was about my smile. Why were you _testing my blood_?"

"Uhh…" I was so gonna kill Macey. "You know… I just wanted to check your platelet level." I guess I didn't sound convincing because if his face was any indication, he didn't believe me. "You're good!" I gave him a lame thumbs up.

"You could have just read my file." Zach raised his eyebrows. "You're lying Cammie." He poked my ribcage.

"Sorry Cam." She whispered, looking genuinely worried.

"C'mon Cam," Zach was moving, picking up his water bottle. "You _have_ to tell me." He held the bottle over my head and began to tip it sideways, threatening to spill it on me. "Don't make me do this!"

"Zach!" I tried to scramble away from him but he quickly countered and wrapped an arm around my waste in a steel grip. I was trapped. "Stop!" I pushed against his chest helplessly.

"Tell me Gallagher Girl!" The bottle sloshed as I struggled against him and a few drops of water fell into my hair. "Hurry Cam!"

"Agh!" I tried to claw off his hand, but it didn't work. Bex and Macey laughed at my miserable state, and Liz just stared with sympathetic eyes.

"You have chosen your own destiny Cam!" He poured the bottle's contents down on me until I shrieked.

"Fine! Please, please just stop! Please!" I was pretty sure we had every eye in the Great Hall staring at us by then. Zach had used half his bottle soaking me already.

"Okay, will you tell me _know_?" He kept his arm around my waist.

I glared at him and wiped some water off forehead and nose. "You're very cruel Zachary Goode."

"I worked, did it not?" He shrugged. "Now confess."

"Whatever," I growled. "We charted the difference between you and Orlando Bloom's DNA to see who was 'scientifically' hotter." I tried very hard not to make eye contact with anyone.

"WHAT?" Zach's voice came out a bit squeaky. "You… you… You did WHAT?"

"It was really a very simple experiment. The data was collected from-"Liz tried to ease the shock, but it didn't help much.

Zach grabbed my arm and shook it until I looked at him. His eyes were disturbingly large. "_You snuck into my room and tested my blood?_"

"It sounds a lot worse when you put it like that!" I retorted.

"How would you put it?" He asked.

"I thought you were hotter than Orlando Bloom and I wanted to prove it to the world." I tried.

His lips quickly formed a smirk. "You just couldn't stay away, could you Gallagher Girl?"

**Okay this was kind of a goofy fun chapter. I'm sorry if you're disappointed that I didn't give you much of the real plot, but I was in the mood for some fluff. So yeah, it's just a little breakfast conversation with the gang. And no, I do not believe that it is possible to rate a person's 'hotness' by their genes. It's a crying shame. Maybe as science advances they'll learn how to do important things like that, but until then we're left with trusting our instincts. Haha… Well yeah. I feel kind of bad for not answering any of the dire questions running through your minds, but I've been feeling rather… ehm, fluffy. So this is what came out. However, to make it up to you, the next chapter will include what Macey's up to. Mwahaha… now you're anxious! Aren't you? I hope so… ;) Well thanks for being amazing and reading! It would be ever so kind of you to drop a review! Who do you think's hotter, Orlando Bloom or Zach?**

**~SpaceNut**


	5. Macey's in the closet

**Hey there readers! How are you amazing people? Well, I'm doing wonderfully because I've written chapter 5! Yes, we have made it to a fifth chapter. Thank you so much to all of you that have been reading and especially to those of you that have been reviewing. And to emzoe, you rock for reviewing like 5 times in two days! Haha, this chapter is for you. ;) This was extremely fun to write, partly because I was jamming out to all my favorite Disney songs on Pandora while I wrote. (virtual high fives to all of you who don't think I'm lame for that) I hope you like it! I didn't actually plan the chapter this way, but it just kinda came out and I like it more than my initial idea. I'm warning you beforehand, this is the most intense chapter yet. I hope it makes up for my previous fluffiness. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: All rights belong to Ally Carter.**

**Chapter 5: Cammie's POV**

Zach had left lunch saying that his filet mignon was not sitting well. You'd think he would appreciate good food after years of Blackthorne mush, but apparently not. He'd run off to his room to empty his stomach, so I finished my plate and went to check on him.

The door of his suite room was locked, probably to keep out any concerned teachers that would only make matters worse. I knocked twice. "Zach?"

After a few moments of silence, I heard the click of a door and some shuffling come from inside. The door creaked open to reveal a green looking Zach standing in the threshold. He was holding a towel in one hand, the other was braced against the door frame to keep him upright. "Hey Cam," His voice was lower and raspier than usual.

I frowned and stepped inside. "What happened?" I pressed the back of my hand to his forehead. His temperature was normal.

"I don't know," Zach shook his head. "I think I might have caught a bug or something." He rubbed his nose.

"Oh. Yeah I think I heard my mom say something about a few eighth graders getting the flu. You should go get a check-up or something. Maybe they could prescribe you some medicine." I walked closer to him, but he backed up every time I took a step in his direction.

"I don't want you to catch it Cam. That would be-" He bent over suddenly, gripping his abdomen. "Oh no." His face was contorted as he rushed to the bathroom, flung open the door, and quickly shut it behind him. I heard him wretch from the other side of the door.

"Zach, baby, do you need anything?" I'd never seen Zach get sick before. This was new to me; usually he was the caring concerned one that had to protect me. Now the roles had switched.

"No, it's okay." I heard the distinct sound of hurling.

"Are you sure? I could get you some T.U.M.S. or a towel or-"

"Just go Cam. I don't want you to see me like this." He called back through the door.

Okay, that's a bit ridiculous. Zach has seen me break down twice before, once when Abby was shot and once when I found my father's grave. He has seen me encounter my ex-boyfriend. He has seen me completely embarrassed when I caught him in a towel. _Just a towel._ And he wouldn't let me see him puke? That's just messed up.

I walked to his closet and opened the door, in search of a clean shirt. Sitting on the ground, staring up at me with wide blue eyes and looking very uncertain about what to do, was Macey Mchenry.

I stared blankly at her. I'm pretty sure my mouth was ajar as I tried to muster up the will to say something. Let's face it, I'm not stupid. I had a pretty good idea of what I'd just discovered, but never in my lifetime would I have believed that Macey Mchenry would go behind my back with my boyfriend and then hide in his closet. Never.

**OH MY GOSH! Intense chapter ending. You probably want to kill me for just cutting it off there, right? That's why I'm very thankful that you don't know where I live. Or I'd be dead. Okay so very short chapter for a very important moment. Sorry for the length, but it made the most sense for what I'm planning. The story is nowhere near over yet, so hold your horses because they're will be many many more plot twists to come. Yes, I'm afraid I'm being rather evil to you with this story. No worries though, because hopefully (if you keep reading until the end) the resolution will make up for all these terrible cliff hangers and make you love me again. Yay! Okay leave a review please! Thanks a million for reading. God Bless.**

**~SpaceNut**


	6. Everything's Going To Be Just Fine

**Hola! As I suspected, the cliffhanger on my last chapter left everyone very anxious for chapter six. So, as a reward to all of you awesome readers that reviewed, I updated faster than normal. Three cheers for staying up extra late on Friday night to type a fanfiction story! Haha… well this chapter reveals (dramatic pause) the reason for Macey Mchenry's extremely suspicious whereabouts. (a.k.a. Zach's closet) Yes, you finally get to know the answer to your question! So I won't delay you much longer with my pre-story rambling. Read on!**

**Disclaimer: All rights belong to Ally Carter… not SpaceNut. **

**Chapter 6: Cammie's Pov**

Macey quickly got over the initial shock of being found… in my boyfriend's closet, and jumped to her feet. She cupped one hand tightly over my mouth and used the other to force me into the hallway.

"Macey! Let go! What is wrong with you?" I screamed into her hand, but it came out as muffled gibberish. I was still too shocked to think about fighting back.

Once we were in the hallway and Zach's door was closed, Macey removed her hands.

"What was that?" I screeched, throwing my hands up in the air to express my anger.

"Would you be quiet?" She whisper-yelled. "He can't know I was in there!"

I rolled my eyes. "Right, because he doesn't know already. You were just sitting in his closet like you do every Saturday afternoon." I glared at her. "I can't believe you."

"Cammie, seriously, lower your voice."

"Why would I do that?" I raised my voice louder than before. "Does this bother you, Macey?" I practically yelled.

"Cam!" She slapped her hand back over my mouth and dragged me towards Dr. Steve's old office.

This time, I had enough sense to try and break free. Macey struggled to keep me contained, but succeeded. She shoved me in the office and slid the door shut quietly. She sighed and ran a hand through her perfectly-placed glossy black hair, then peered at me with piercing eyes. "What is _wrong _with you?"

I actually found myself laughing at that. "Excuse me? I'm not the one hiding from my roommate in her boyfriend's closet!" My fists were balled up by my sides and I could feel my face pulling tightly together.

"What is that…" She shook her head and searched my face. After a few seconds of suffering my death glare, she seemed to put two and two together. "You think I- Cam! How could you think that?" She looked genuinely hurt, but she was a spy. She was trained to play her cover. "I would never betray you. That's just ridiculous!"

"What's ridiculous is finding you in Zach's _closet_! If you weren't there to be with him, would you care to explain what you were actually doing?" I shot back. Asking questions your subject doesn't have an answer to is the key to making them slip up. She was bound to break soon enough.

"I... I was just," She looked up with guilty eyes. "Sit down Cammie."

Reluctantly, I took a seat. (trying very hard not to relive any memories from last semester) I folded my hands and rested them in my lap. "Alright, what' your alibi?" I looked up expectantly, still not able to believe what was happening but trying to keep my cool.

"Okay Cam. I guess I understand where you're coming from, but I promise it's not what happened." She pushed herself up onto the desk and dangled her long legs over the edge. "I was just worried about what to tell you because I was afraid of hurting you and I didn't want to assume anything without real proof but I had to make sure I was right so I tried to confirm it without you and the girls but I got in over my head and you came in and Zach was just going to…" All her words came out quick and jumbled. She turned her eyes up from the floor to focus on mine. "I think," She gulped and I watched as pain and worry flashed over her face. "I think Zach's cheating on you with someone in town."

I stared at her and tried to register everything she'd just said. It all came out so quickly, like a big blur. Except for the last part. That part came to me as clear as day. She studied my eyes with her own, trying to read me and gauge my reaction. "What?" I didn't try to cover the crack in my voice. I could already feel the overwhelming sensation of tears forming in my eyes. My hands were shaking.

Macey quickly moved to kneel beside me. She rested her right hand on my knee and her left on my shoulder. "I'm not sure. I couldn't really tell. It just seemed like it from what you were telling us when you came into the suite last night. I know how boys act when they're cheating. It's like when they're with you, they're only half there. And you told us he just suddenly got up and left you, with a fake explanation. I doubted my theory because I know how much Zach cares for you, but I wanted to make sure for your sake. Then, when he ran off from lunch, I thought he may have been faking it so he could sneak out and meet the girl. It made sense. So I followed him to see where he went. When he came into his room, he started freshening up in the bathroom. I watched from the crack in the door. Then, you knocked and he started coming out of the bathroom. I needed to hide so I took refuge in the closet and everything was going according to plan until you found me. I guess you're a better spy then him, huh Cam?" She smiled at me weakly, but it was a failed attempt to brighten my mood.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It was shocking on some many levels. Zach had somehow been getting past all the new security reinforcements made to keep me inside the Gallagher walls. He'd been sneaking around right under my nose to see another girl. He had betrayed me. If all of this was true, the only good news I had was that Macey _wasn't _the girt he was replacing me with. Everything else would be classified asvery very heartbreaking and agonizing news. I didn't have any words. Nothing seemed like it could express the hole starting to burn in my chest.

I looked at Macey. She seemed to understand. She'd lost Preston a few months ago after we took down the Circle. He'd told her he needed time to grow up and figure out who he was. He was too confused about his own life to share it with someone else. He was afraid of ruining what he could have had with her because he wouldn't be able to be himself until he'd spent time alone figuring out who he really was. She knew the pain of losing someone, and I was glad I had Macey to hug me then.

Her embrace was tight, supporting me as I fell apart. My tears came slowly and deliberately. I don't know what I would have done if she wasn't there to pull me together.

"Cammie," She pulled away to study my face, holding my shoulders with her hands. "It's okay. We don't know yet. It's just a hunch, alright?" She waited for me to reply, so I nodded. "We'll figure it out. I still believe that it could just be a misunderstanding. I didn't want to say anything until I was certain because I didn't want you to worry unless you needed to. Okay? There's probably nothing to fret about Cam!" She rubbed my forearms reassuringly. "Everything's going to be fine. Just wait and see."

I hoped with everything I had that Macey was right. She needed to be right. Everything's going to be fine. I just had to keep on believing that.

**See? Macey's not a bad guy… I would never do that to one of my favorite Gallagher Girls. I love her character too much. Okay so Cammie may have seemed a bit overemotional, but she and Zach have been 'exclusive' for months in this story. So, you know, I figured it would be pretty upsetting to hear Macey's horrid news. And to all of you amazing readers that have been following my story, I have some unfortunate news to give you. I'm going to have very limited internet access the next two weeks, so my updates will either be very slow or non-existent. Sorry, I'm bummed about it too. I'm trying to make up for it with this back-to-back update I just posted. Ya, it stinks. But no worries, everything will be back to normal again in two weeks. Just hang in there. ;) So message me or something because seriously, I think you guys are like the best people in the world. I'd love to talk to you about the story. Well, I gotta go. God Bless. Peace out Girl Scouts!**

**Teaser for you all since I'm not sure when I'll be able to write again:**

**The girls will be doing some personal cove-ops soon. Which will include a very special town day, and perhaps a visit from our old friend Josh Abrams. All coming soon in the future chapters.**

**~SpaceNut**


	7. A Rematch

**I have internet access! :D WOOHOO! I am very happy! (if you can't tell…) Well, I don't have much to say, though I would like to make a comment about an awesome review I got from Lizaluvsdoggies. She pointed out that Cammie probably wouldn't believe that Macy and Zach were 'together' unless she had seen it herself. I think that's a really good point and I definitely took a lot of consideration while writing that. I think that while Cammie trusts her friends with her life, she is still a very realistic girl. She was trying to process everything she saw and make sense of it. I meant to write more of her internal struggle, (to show her switching between her trust and her logic) but I didn't do as much proofreading with my last chapter. Anyways, I think you made an excellent point. And to answer your question, they're both 18 in this story. **

**Disclaimer: All rights belong to Ally Carter.**

**Chapter 7: Cammie's Pov**

"C'mon guys, this is a little ridiculous. Don't you think?" Bex said.

We were sitting in the secret room behind my mother's office. It'd been a couple years since we'd last used this place. It felt good (despite the fact that I was still recovering from the closet event that happened an hour ago) to be back together, examining my love life like we had before the COC decided to play tetherball with my sanity.

"I have to agree with Bex on this one. You have very limited proof that your theory is correct. There are still too many variables to declare any one conclusion." Liz held up the yellow notepad she'd used to make a list of evidence, which only contained three sentences: 'Zachary Goode has been mysteriously disappearing.' 'Zachary Goode lied about gastrointestinal illness.' And 'Zachary Goode was caught redoing his hair in the bathroom after said lie.' "I mean, we know Zach. He cares too much about Cammie to betray her like that."

"I know, all I'm saying is that we should-" Macey tried to speak, but was cut off by Bex.

"You guys didn't see him… when he… you know." Bex's face was dead serious. "I was there, though. I saw him."

Macey and Liz nodded, but I was lost. "See him when he what?" I asked.

Bex gulped. "When you left Cam, you didn't see him when you left." She sighed. "He… changed. He just lost it. It was like he didn't _feel_ anything."

"Oh," was my genius response. Zach had told me once that he'd gone crazy after I ran away, but to hear Bex say it… it showed just _how_ crazy.

"He wouldn't do this. I, I know he wouldn't do this." She looked me straight in the eyes.

"Okay." I told her. I trusted Bex. She had seen a side of Zach even I had never seen before. One I hoped I would never ever have to see. " Okay, I believe you."

"So it would be out of Zach's character to cheat. I get that, all I'm saying is that I know boys. And Zach has been acting very much like a boy who is two-timing his girlfriend." Macey leaned back against the stone wall behind her.

"Macey, I know you're worried that Cam's gonna get hurt, but we can trust Zach. I _promise_." Bex said.

Macey's forehead twisted together. I knew what she was thinking. Preston had burned her. Even if he hadn't meant to, he'd left her with a broken heart. She didn't want to trust Zach. She didn't want to trust any boy that could break another heart.

I placed my hand on her shoulder. "It's okay Mace, Bex is right. I know she is." Looking back on everything me and Zach had gone through, I realized that they wasn't a chance he'd betray me like that.

"Okay Cam." Her eyes told me that she trusted my choice. It was my decision to make. "Where does that leave us then?"

"I think we trust that whatever Zach is doing, he has good reason for it. However, that doesn't mean we can't investigate." Liz pointed out, and then scribbled something down on her notepad.

Macey laughed, back to her old self again. "That's true. We can make this a mission, our last mission as Gallagher Girls."

"We will always be Gallagher Girls. We just won't be _here _anymore." I reminded them. I still couldn't believe that I'd be leaving this beautiful mansion behind in two weeks.

"A mission?" Bex's eyes sparkled with a hunger for thrill. "A mission against our very own Gallagher Boy." Her smile was disturbingly evil. Well someone just had a mood swing.

"What _exactly_ are you suggesting?" I eyed Liz.

"We follow him. We collect information. We figure out what he's been doing on all his mysterious outings." Liz tapped her pencil eagerly against her knee, already imagining the 'hackage' she'd get to perform.

"There's a town day in two weeks! On Tuesday! We could follow him then. See if he does anything odd." Bex was seething with excitement.

"I'm in." Macey grinned.

"Cam?" They all looked at me expectantly. "This is it. Our last high school mission." Bex pleaded.

"Let's do it." I laughed. No spy would be able to pass up an offer like this.

So it was decided. We'd officially start our field work tomorrow by checking the security cameras and questioning Mr. Solomon of his 'meeting' with Zach. The we'd spend the week preparing for our town day. Then next Tuesday, we'd tail Zach through Roseville. It was set, and I couldn't wait. After three years, I'd finally get my rematch with Zach. He'd beaten me in DC, but I was going to win this time. Gosh, I loved dating a spy. Or an assassin? Whatever, the bottom line is I love dating Zach Goode.

**Awwww… Lol, so there you go. Action will begin soon, no worries. And don't give up on me yet, I have a few surprises in store. There is some turmoil coming in Zach and Cammie's relationship. I wouldn't let them of that easy… ;) Thanks for reading. I love you guys! Reviews are greatly appreciated. Also, on a side note, I'm considering writing a story about what happened between Macey and Preston when I finish this one. Just and idea, but let me know if you'd want me to write it. God bless and Happy Summer.**

**~SpaceNut**


	8. Touche

**Chapter 8: Cammie's Pov**

I watched as my fellow Gallagher Girls (and Zach) filtered out the door in a rush to get to C&A. Every Gallagher Girl but me, that is. I hung back, leaning against the desk closest to Mr. Solomon's. I waited for him to notice, but it seemed he was too caught up in his paperwork to address me. Two minutes passed, and I was starting to get antsy. I didn't have much time. I was about to make my presence known, when Mr. Solomon spoke up.

"Alright Cams, you've been standing there for two minutes and twenty-three seconds. You're already late for Cultures and Assimilation." He didn't look up from his papers once. He just continued to stare at them as he shuffled them together and neatly tucked them into a red folder.

"Oh, I'm not too worried about that." I said, thankful that he'd noticed me after all. I had been starting to worry that he was losing his touch.

"Well you should be. As your teacher, it's my responsibility to make sure my students aren't lounging around when they should be in class." He looked up the folder and winked, "especially you, young lady."

I groaned. "Oh come on Mr.S. I can take care of myself." I placed my hands on the desk behind me and pushed my body up so I could sit on it.

"Cammie, you need to get to class." He used his serious 'teacher tone'. "Madame Dabney will start to worry."

This was where the lies came in. When we'd begun planning our operation, I'd told the girls it was wrong. was one of the few people that trusted me _completely_. I didn't want to mess that up. They had agreed with me. But after further speculation, we realized that Joe was our only lead. It was a risk I'd have to take for the sake of our mission. Plus, it might be kind of fun.

"Look, Mr. Solomon, we haven't been able to have a real discussion about everything that's happened. You know? I- I just thought that it'd be nice if we could catch up. So much has happened since you woke and Zach's mom…" I shut my eyes tightly. At least this part was true. "It was all so terrifying."

I opened my eyes daringly. I'd never liked discussing the mission that ended the COC. And Catherine Goode's life. Even Zach and I had only spoken of it once. It always ended in tears. When I looked up at Joe, he nodded solemnly.

"I see." I could see the now familiar pain in his eyes. At one point in my life, I had thought Joseph Solomon was indestructible. Now I knew better.

"So I thought it'd be nice to just… chat for once." I smiled at him uncertainly, playing my cover.

It was bad. I felt inside that it was wrong. I shouldn't abuse Joe's trust, the way he believed my words without question. I was one of the four people on planet earth that had that privilege. And I was playing him.

"Any particular reason you thought now would be an appropriate time for that Cameron?" I heard a hint of teasing in his voice. He didn't mind my company, but he knew he was supposed to be sending me to class.

I offered him a half-laugh. "Madame Dabney is giving the seniors a free period today. She figured that with all the stress of finals and graduation… some extra time off would be helpful."

Lie number two. In actuality, Madame Dabney was teaching us the art of tipping today. (the dos and don'ts, how it differs from culture to culture, the history of 'tippage', and so on) Thankfully, the girls were covering for me. By now, the whole senior class thought I was hunched over a toilet hurling out my insides. (Lovely picture, right?)The lie was simple and believable. Joe took the bait freely.

"Well that was kind of her." He grinned, but was cut off by a buzz in his jacket pocket. "One second Cammie." He slipped his phone out, declined the call, and slid it back into his jacket. But not before I caught a glimpse of my Aunt Abby's dazzling smile flash on the screen.

"Yeah, it is." I smirked happily to myself. "So what's new with you Mr.S? How's everything going with Abby?" The words rolled off my tongue casually, yet they were anything but. Joe _never_ discussed his love life. The only way I knew they were actually dating was that Abby liked to share unflattering stories about him. I kept them stored in my mind for future blackmail.

He shot me an irritated glare. "Everything's fine, Cams."

I nodded passively. "What about the CIA? Have they called you in for anymore missions?" Zach had told me their meeting was classified, which could only mean one of two things.

One: Zach thought he sounded cool when he acted mysterious. (Which he does, of course. But that doesn't change the fact that it drives me mad.)

Two: _Someone_ was going on a mission.

Joe didn't work for any corporation besides Gallagher these days, so I knew his answer would be no. I was just leading up the important questions.

"I'm retired Cam. You know that." He frowned at me.

"Of course I know," I swung my legs back and forth beneath the desk, "but Zach was telling me about some 'classified' meeting." I put air quotes around the word classified. "I just can't help from being curious. I'm a spy, after all." I looked up at him with a cocked eyebrow and expectant eyes. Hopefully, this was coming out as I intended. I didn't want to sound suspicious of Zach, but Solomon might give me details if I sounded concerned about his retirement. It was a decision we'd all questioned.

"Oh, I see." Joe smiled at me knowingly. "You want to know what your sweetheart is up to." Oh for the love of Gillian, he did _not_ just say that.

I glared at him "I'm just worried about you Joe. I don't want to see you in a hospital bed again." It was easier to lie to him when I wanted to roundhouse kick his face.

He laughed, "Whatever you say Cammie. Your secret's safe with me."

"Do you really want to go there? Because I heard an interesting little tale about a midnight rendezvous in Belfast when you had a bit too much alcohol in your system and decided to invent a man bra." I quirked an eyebrow at him. Finally, that blackmail was coming in handy.

Mr. Solomon grunted, "Touché."

**Mwahahaha! Mr. Solomon… that would be quite a sight. Anyways, I decided to put up a quick chapter. Sorry it isn't longer, but I didn't have the time. Hope you enjoyed it ;). As always, let me know what you thought! I'll try to update whenever I get the chance. Thanks for reading!**

**~SpaceNut**


	9. And None of It's Fair

**So… time skip! I fast-forwarded to the town day because, let's face it, you've waited long enough. (And guess what! I think this is my longest chapter yet! You can thank my jetlagged brain that resists the wonderful invention I call a pillow.) Thank you all for being amazing and reviewing/favoriting/story alerting. You know, all that good stuff. I love hearing from you so PM me if you want. As some of you have found out, I often answer questions about the story when asked as long as it doesn't give away too much information. (a.k.a. spoilers) So you know, ask away. I'll generally answer unless it's something like "What's Zach up too?" Yes, I'm afraid that gives away pretty much the **_**whole**_** story. Sorry about that. ;)**

**Disclaimer: I used to try and come up with witty remarks for my disclaimer… but I'm all out. So you are stuck with a very unoriginal 'All rights belong to Ally Carter'. Sorry about my lack of creativeness.**

**Chapter 9: Cammie's Pov**

Mr. Solomon had been useless. The security cameras hadn't aided our mission either. Zach wasn't making it easy, but that was okay. Today was town day.

Zach and I were walking towards the van, his arm slung loosely around my shoulders, when his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and checked the screen.

"This is important. Could you save me a seat in the van?" He asked as he turned to face Gallagher Lake.

I knitted my eyebrows together. Zach never used his cell. "Well, sure… but we're not supposed to use our phones on campus Zach."

He laughed, already half way across the lawn. "Right, because we always follow the rules. Just tell Joe I forgot my wallet. I'll be there in a minute." He waved, then turned around answering his phone.

I gazed after him until he was out of ear shot. "Duchess, the subject is on the move. Report to the lake immediately." I spoke into my comms as I took my seat in the second row of the van.

"On my way," Bex replied.

The last couple weeks had started to worry me. Zach had less and less free time as we neared graduation. (Friday) He used to stop by my room every evening to say goodnight. He'd only done it twice in the last two weeks. He was always late to breakfast, which had _never_ happened before. He'd claim he slept in, but I knew better than to believe that. He had been trained at Blackthorne for years, after all. Sleeping in wasn't part of their agenda.

I sighed and leaned into my seat, twisting the grey seatbelt strapped over my chest. Macey had suggested he was putting in extra training for a mission. That thought worried me most. He couldn't be going on a mission yet. I couldn't lose him. I just couldn't.

Eva and Mick sat down in front of me, giggling about Mr. Smith's latest explosion. It had been quite a disaster. Sublevel two had been evacuated and announced 'off limits' until further notice. I was going to miss this place…

Bex's voice crackled in my ear. "The subject discussed meeting up with the caller in town. More details later."

What? He was _meeting up_ with someone? I told myself I was being foolish for thinking back to Macey's first theory about his strange behavior. But it made sense.

I had to refrain from communicating with Bex since more of my class had begun to pile into the van. Mr Solomon sat down in the driver's seat and took a quick glance over his shoulder. "Where are Mr. Goode and Ms. Baxter?" Man, he was good.

Macey shot me a look. "Zach left his wallet in his dorm." I borrowed the lie. "Bex needed to use the bathroom."

Mr. Solomon grumbled. "Fine, we'll wait."

One minute and eight seconds passed before Zach came running up to the van. His phone was thankfully out of sight. "Sorry about that Joe," He planted his body next to mine and winked at me.

"You're late Zachary." Mr. Solomon shot him a look, but I knew it was just for show. Joe had a soft spot for Zach.

"I know. It won't happen again." Of course it wouldn't. Today was our last town day.

Joe nodded and I laughed to myself.

"Something funny Gallagher Girl?" Zach nudged me with his shoulder, a playful smile on his lips.

"That's a pretty lame promise." I replied, nudging him back.

Zach shrugged and leaned down close to me. His lips tickled my ear as he whispered, "Thanks for covering for me." He pulled away and kissed my forehead.

"Aw!" The girls around us chorused, and then returned to their conversations, Yes, aw indeed.

"No problem." I whispered back. I turned my face so my hair hid my mouth. I didn't want anyone to read my lips. "But you owe me an explanation."

He smirked. "That's classified." We would never find out what he was up to at this rate.

"I really hate you sometimes." I mumbled, crossing my arms over my chest defiantly. It was a lie of course, but his ego was already hopeless. I didn't want to build it up anymore that I had to.

"Aw, come on. You gotta love me." He wrapped an arm around my waist. With anyone else it would have seemed awkward, given the fact that were strapped into our seats. But it wasn't anyone else. It was Zach

Just then, Bex Baxter came barreling through the van door.

"I'm here!" She exclaimed, dropping into the seat in front of me. "I'm so sorry! The girl's bathroom was-"

"Please," Joe cut her off. "Just buckle up. I don't want any details."

Bex nodded. "Yes sir." She was an excellent actress.

The ride there was short and comfortable, the same as it had always been. When we filed out, Mr. Solomon gave us instructions.

"Ok ladies… and Zach, you have three hours. Your headmistress thought you might enjoy some free time. Do whatever you please, just nothing illegal unless you've been granted permission." Only at Gallagher can a sentence like that sound _normal_. "Everyone should meet back here at one o'clock sharp." He cast us a stern look, making it clear that we were not to be late. "Alright, get out of here."

Immediately the crowd dispersed (crowd being a relative term) and slit up into the usual groups. I turned to face my roommates and Zach. Now I just had to find a way to discuss the mission without Zach's knowledge. Light bulb…

"Well I'm just gonna use the little spy's room. I'll be back in a minute."

"Me too," Macey smiled at me. Good, she'd caught on.

"You know what, that sounds like a great idea." Bex looped an arm through mine. "Sorry Zach, I'm afraid you can't follow Cammie in there."

"I'm good right here." Zach said, rocking back on his heels. "Wait," He raised an eyebrow at Bex. "You _just_ went to the bathroom."

Bex huffed. "You want to discuss my bladder, Goode?" Gosh, I loved her.

Zach's face immediately twisted together liked he'd gotten a good whiff of a dead fish. "No thank you."

"That's what I thought." She said over her shoulder.

We walked across the street to Roseville's only park. It wasn't too shabby. There was a large playground complete with plastic slides and monkey bars. A row of swings positioned itself next to a metal pavilion. It was the kind of place I would love to spend a day in. No guns. No terrorists. No psychotic therapists promoting suicide. Nope, none of that. Just a peaceful park overlooking a peaceful town that was home to one of the most non-peaceful schools in the world.

"Okay, so what's the plan?" Macey asked once we were in the empty bathroom.

Bex grinned. (rather evilly, if I do say so myself) "Isn't it obvious? We get to tail the great Zachary Goode to his so-called 'classified' meeting."

I nodded. "Exactly."

"Cam, you'll tail him. He won't be able to spot you." Macey pointed out. "Me and Bex will stay in close range on the comms, waiting for any news."

"This is going to be so good." Bex practically purred as she readjusted her comms unit. "Just call us if you need anything. Okay? Don't hesitate."

I knew what she really meant. 'If there's any action, you better tell me or _I'll _be the one kicking your butt.'

"I wouldn't dream of leaving you out of a good fight." I winked. We stood there in a comfortable silence a few seconds longer, trying to calculate how long an acceptable visit to the toilets should last. On Bex's cue, we walked out.

We found Zach sitting on a bench outside.

"Well hello ladies." He stood up.

"Hey." I grinned, taking his arm. "C'mon let's go. I want to make the most of today."

"Just you and me?" He let me lead him away from Bex and Macey.

"Yup. The girls wanted to go shopping anyways."

He smiled down at me. "Then we will _most definitely_ make the most of this." He slipped his hand into mine and pulled me towards the swings.

"Now what exactly are you planning Goode?" The girls were casually strolling down the sidewalk, giggling and pointing at boutiques here and there. If I didn't know better, I would have thought there were two regular teens window-shopping.

"Just some fun," He grabbed my waist tightly and lifted me off the ground. It was like a flashback of last Friday.

"Zach!" I screeched. "Would you stop _doing _that!" I thrashed my limbs in hopes of release. I had no such luck.

"Oh, you don't like it?" How did he make his voice sound _so_ innocent when he was _so_ guilty? I would never know.

"Put me _DOWN!"_ I threw my back into his chest but his grip didn't falter in the slightest.

You might wonder why I fought so hard against innocent flirting. Well to be honest, when you're spies, fighting is _fun_. And when you're fighting with your _boyfriend_… well you might as well have sent a five year old to Chuck-E-Cheese.

"Now why would I do that?" He tried to sound serious, but I could hear laughter hinting in his tone.

He swept my legs out from beneath me with one arm and gripped them firmly with his hands, lifting my body up higher. So, if you can picture it, I was practically hanging upside like a bat.

"Zach! Oh my Gosh, you like a stinking X-man! Cut it out!" I could feel the blood rushing to my head, threating to make me dizzy beyond belief. My arms flailed beneath me as I groped for the ground.

"Hmm…" I could see him puckering his lips. "Nah."

"When I get my hands on you, you're not going to _have _any hands!" Bex complimented my threat over the comms. I tipped my head back as far as humanly possible and got a glimpse of his feet. _Perfect._

"Oh c'mon Gallagher Girl, have a little fun for-"

_BAM! _Just like that we were both sprawled on the ground, groaning in unison. My head landed sideways on his stomach.

"Ouch," He bent his neck up and raised an eyebrow. "Was that _really_ necessary?"

"Yes." I said without hesitation. "And thank you for being such a wonderful cushion. I can't imagine how much pain a person would be in if the fell that without something to soften the blow." I patted his side twice with a smirk playing on my lips.

"Really? Because I certainly can." He grabbed my shoulders and pulled my body up next to his. "And don't you try to steal my smirk. I'll call the police on you." He pressed a finger to my lips as a warning.

I snuggled into him. "Oh come on Zach, you can't own an entire facial expression. It's not fair to the world." My forehead was pressed against his chest. His shirt fit him well, I noticed. And it smelled of his special Zach scent, like soap and something else I could never quite put my finger on. Gunpowder, perhaps?

"Well it's not fair to the world that I'm this good looking either, now is it? Maybe someday they'll accept the facts." He kissed my hair.

I thumped his chest with the back of my hand. "Oh shut up."

"And it's not fair to the world that I get you. And that I'm not sharing. Ever." How did he do that? Seriously, I mean two seconds ago I wanted to slap him silly for being so full of himself. Only seventeen words I felt like putty in his arms.

I tried to shrug it off and not let him see how easily he got to me. "Oh please. The world can live with that."

He slipped a thumb under my chin and lifted my head to meet his eyes. "Cam, don't do that."

"Do what?" I was surprised by the glint of sadness reflecting in his eyes. What happened to the goofy banter?

"Act like you aren't worth it," He slid his fingers around my neck gingerly and cradled my head in his hands. "Don't act like you're just another girl."

I found myself laughing. "Zach, I _am_ just another girl. Why do you think it's so easy for me blend in? There's a reason they call me Chameleon. I'm so average; no one thinks to look twice."

I didn't say it with pity for myself or regret over how I looked. I was glad to be Cameron Morgan. It was those same 'average' qualities that made me a CIA legend. Sure, I would never be an exotic and devilish beauty like Bex. I'd stopped dreaming of Macey's stunning glamour long ago. I wasn't meant to have the charm of Liz's pixie-like appearance and innocent smile. But that was okay. I had everything I needed to be me. Cameron Morgan.

Zach shook his head. He looked... troubled. "Stop it." His eyebrows pressed together, making an adorable little fold in his forehead. "Cammie you're gorgeous." He sat up, making me lift my head from his chest.

"Zach, that's nice and-"

"You are." He cut me off before I could contradict him.

I placed a hand on his shoulder. "Maybe pretty." I smiled, hoping he'd leave it at that.

"Cammie," Zach groaned, seizing my waist with his hands and pulling me into his chest. "Don't argue with me over this. I _will_ win. It's inevitable."

"Mmmm," I sighed happily and ran my finger over his hand absentmindedly. It was nice to have a boyfriend, especially this one. "You'd only win if I let you."

"Oh really? Then why is it that I _always_ win?"

"Because I _always_ let you." I reached back and poked him in the side.

"Liar," He pressed his lips lightly to my temple.

"Oh whatever." I was surprised that the girls had remained quiet throughout the whole conversation. Perhaps they'd learned to block out our pointless arguing.

"So I win again Gallagher Girl." His embrace tightened slightly, daring me to disagree.

"Sure, Zach." I leaned my head back so that it fell into the crook of his neck.

"That's what I thought." He rested his chin on my head. I loved the way we fit together like that. Things just fell into place. "So it's agreed then. You're gorgeous, I'm good looking, all smirks belong to me, and none of it is fair."

"Yeah, I can live with that."

"Good, because you don't have a choice." He tilted his head to burrow his face in my hair.

I suppose that to onlookers, we seemed insane. One minute, I'm screaming bloody murder as Zach flips me upside-down against my wishes. The next were snuggled together in a picture perfect moment. But that was just how I liked it. We were spontaneous. We were different. We were _spies_.

We stayed there for a while, not moving. It was nice. There was nothing to stop us from enjoying each other's company. Or at least, that's what I thought.

"Cam, I'm thirsty. I'm going to go get some coffee. Want anything?"

Well, you know. Nothing except for thirst.

**Okay, I know what you're thinking**_**. WHAT THE HECK? **_**WHERE IS THE INTENSE ACTION I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR SO PATIENTLY? Well, the intense action is next chapter. And I don't like to brag about my own stories because I think it sounds rather conceited, but I believe it's gonna be good. So take that however you wish, but thank for waiting through these boring chapters. (Yes, I know they've been very boring. I apologize for that.) I've been trying to lead up to the climax, which will appear in the next couple chapters. So just hang tight while I attempt to make chapter ten as awesome as I can. Hopefully, it'll be worth it. I love you all so much! Thanks a million for reading. It means a great deal to me. Please leave a review. God bless.**

**~SpaceNut**

**P.S. Mr. Josh Abrahms will soon be making an appearance in 'The Standstill'. YAY! (Are you excited? Because between you and me, I'm REALLY excited!)**


	10. Dale's Cafe

**Chapter 10: Cammie's Pov**

"Oh," I lifted my head from his chest. "I- I'm fine. Thanks." I'd almost forgotten I was on a mission.

"Are you sure? C'mon, don't hesitate. You're my girl, and I treat my girl right." He winked at me.

"You know what, tackling you to the ground has got me parched. Water's fine." I laughed and pecked his cheek in goodbye.

Zach rolled his eyes. "Great. Now I'm rewarding you for bruising my spine." He popped off the grass and started walking away.

I smiled. "Thank you babe!"

"Yeah sure." He waved with a smirk plastered conveniently on his face. "I'll be back in a few minutes." He turned to face the sidewalk, off to what I could only assume was his top secret meeting.

Bex's voice was instantly cracking in my ear. "Alright Cam. We have the eyeball. There's a newspaper stand in front of the Radio Shack. Pick up a paper for cover."

"I copy." Zach was still in sight, only fifteen yards ahead. I sat and waited until he was at least a block away. He turned back only once.

"Let the chase begin." And I was off, stepping into the flow of town. I tied up my hair with a spare ponytail, changing my look slightly. Then I grabbed one of the newspapers Bex pointed out.

"He just turned left on Devon Avenue. He's practicing a lot of Solomon's tactics for losing a tail." It was Macey's voice this time.

So we weren't crazy after all. He really was up to something. That fact made my heart sink a little. Part of me had still been hoping this was all just nonsense. I didn't want any secrets, I was tired of secrets.

"I'm going to stop for a disguise. Keep him in sight."

"Roger that."

On normal circumstances, I wouldn't bother with a cover. But this was Zach. Zach was good, (no pun intended) and he knew me well. I had to be careful, on top of my game.

I ducked into a fairly large store that had mannequins modeling in the windows. The door chimed when I stepped through.

"Good Afternoon!" A woman with short gray hair and a narrow face smiled from the counter beside the entrance. Her chandelier earrings were way too big for her small ears.

"Hello," I smiled politely in return. I quickly turned towards the back of the store like I knew where I was going. Of course, I didn't have a clue.

I only had twenty-five bucks on me, so I couldn't buy anything extravagant. Perhaps a hat and a scarf.

I found the back wall which was shelved with high heels and gaudy sandals. That wouldn't do. Lucky for me, there was a section dedicated to discount accessories nearby. I sighed in relief. This was perfect.

There were two white plastic bins filled with fashion miscellaneous. I reminded myself I didn't have much time, but a part of me screamed 'this is spy paradise!'

It was true. Piles of cheap unwanted apparel! Can you ask for more? I grabbed a big pink floppy sun hat that was half buried by some tangled strings of beads. Then I reached my hand in again, pulling out whatever I felt first. It was a discounted strapless bra… no. Just no. Never again. Thankfully, the next thing I pulled out was a shawl. It was mainly white, with a few pink stripes that matched the hat if you squinted. It would have to do. I made my way back to the front of the store at a leisurely pace, until I heard a burst of static in my head.

"Cammie, we are losing sight of the subject. You might want to pick up the pace and _get your butt over here." _Bex has always had a way with words.

"Sorry, I'll be there soon." I hurried over to the check-out counter and dumped my purchases in front of the cashier in a not-so-graceful manner.

The woman working the cashier looked to be in her thirties. She smiled kindly at me and scanned the tags on my disguises quickly (which I kind of wanted to hug her for). "That'll be eighteen dollars and fifty six cents." She handed me the receipt.

"Cam! He's getting away from us. You need to hurry." Macey's voice rang over the Comms.

I snatched the clothes up in one hand and gave her a twenty with the other. "Thank you! Keep the change!"

I ran out the door, probably seeming very suspicious. But that was okay. I wasn't worried about the cashier, I was worried about _Zach._

It was pretty easy to find them, even though Bex is positively dreadful at giving directions. By the time I'd caught up to the girls, I had slipped on my disguise.

They were sitting at a Roseville bus stop, eating icecream. Oh, how I envied their covers. They spotted me immediately.

"Coffee Shop," Macey's voice dripped with confidence. They'd successfully tailed him.

"Gotcha," I winked at them and continued strolling down the sidewalk until I arrived at a tall brick building.

A wooden sign was hung over the door. It read 'Dale's Cafe' in pudgy black letters.

I entered the store behind two men in dark business suits, barely noticed. I say barely because one person noticed.

Zach. Zach noticed. I could feel his eyes skimming over my back as I seated myself at a glass table.

And I noticed him. _Oh, I noticed._ And despite my years of professional training to never break cover for any reason whatsoever, I faltered. I noticed how he turned his eyes from me and leaned over the counter. I noticed how his lips were forming a goofy smile. I noticed how he was talking to someone I never thought I'd see again. And I _definitely_ noticed how that certain someone's hand playfully pushed Zach's chest.

Here, I'll give you three hints:

Blonde

Pink

Happy

Did you guess Dee Dee? Because if you did, you were one hundred percent correct.

I unfolded my newspaper and held it high enough to be eyelevel.

"Subject has been spotted with Dee Dee." I mumbled, barely moving my lips.

I tried not to react to the instant scream in my ear. "What! Dee Dee? As in… like, _the_ Dee Dee?"

"Yes," I managed to restrain my irritation of possibly blowing an ear drum "_the_ Dee Dee."

"No way."

"Be quiet guys. I can't hear them with your _screaming._"

It was strange, the feeling of tug-of-war pulling inside my heart. It was like I was struggling to figure out who I was.

I could be the Chameleon. I could sit, observe, memorize, report, and leave. I could be the perfect spy. I was absolutely capable of it. I could figure out _exactly_ what Zach was doing in a Roseville café, laughing and smiling with my ex-boyfriend's girlfriend. I could be _that_ girl. The strong one.

Or I could be Cammie, Zachary Goode's girlfriend. I could let my heartbreak at the fact that Zach had lied to me. That he was talking to the perfect all-American beauty I hadn't seen in two years. I could get angry that she was touching my boyfriend_. My spy boyfriend. _I could march up to Zach and demand to know what he thought he was doing. I could be that girl. The regular girl. The weak one, but the one who loved Zachary Goode.

So in compromise, I let myself witness and observe what I'd come here to see. But I also let myself break a little inside at the words being exchanged between the two.

Dee Dee laughed, her voice carrying across the room like bubbles that I wanted to pop with a knife. "Oh my gosh, you are just _too sweet_ Zach!" (Insert violent stab here.)

Zach just shook his head, his hair sliding lightly across his forehead.

"So when are going to take me? I've been waiting for two weeks now! I'm starting to think that you were lying!" She poked his arm and I could practically feel myself growl.

He must've had a reason. I'm sure he had a reason. He wouldn't just… cheat. He was better than that. I could trust him. Bex said I could trust him. I _knew_ I could.

"I told you, I can't go today. Cam is waiting for me. She'll get suspicious if I'm not back soon."

I seriously couldn't believe it. This had to be a mistake. He… he wouldn't do this. I know he wouldn't. He'd just been holding me in his arms fifteen minutes ago!

Dee Dee huffed, clearly defeated. "Fine, fine."

"Tell you what, I'll be back on Thursday. We can go then. Okay?"

_No, no, no, no, no. _He's been sneaking out to see… her? All this time! He'd been lying to see _Dee Dee!_

"Okay." She grinned brightly. "You better get going. Here's your water." She handed him a plain white cup filled to the brim.

"Thanks." He returned the smile.

I never thought I could actually hate Zach's smile. But right then, I really, truly did.

"I'll see you soon." Dee Dee stretched her arms over the counter to embrace his shoulders. He mimicked the gesture.

And that's when I realized it couldn't be a mistake. It wasn't just a 'misunderstanding'. Zach doesn't throw hugs around like pieces of candy. Zach only smiles at people he cares about. And yet there he was. With _Dee Dee. DEE DEE!_ Of all people, he was here with her. I wanted to puke. And cry.

They pulled away and Zach turned towards the door.

"Bye!" Dee Dee called out behind him.

Zach turned to send her a wave, but his hand fell short when his eyes found mine.

Oh no. _Oh no._ I'm dead. I'm dead. _I am DEAD._

Zach narrowed his eyes. "C-"His voice caught. "Cammie?"

His tone wasn't the one I was used to. It wasn't the one he'd been using seconds before with Dee Dee. No, this was different. It was surprise, hurt, and fear all rolled up into one. That in itself made me want to stay. It made me want to sit, and talk, and be reasonable. But I didn't.

I was up in a flash without a word, moving towards the exit. I didn't try to make it dramatic, because that wasn't me. My face was blank and my body was relaxed. But I felt the tears welling up in my eyes. And I felt the one that rolled down my cheek despite the urging to hold it together. I felt myself falling apart and becoming Cammie, Zachary Goode's girlfriend. Or ex-girlfriend? I wasn't sure anymore.

Zach tried to grab my hand as I bolted past him, but I pulled away. He shouted my name and ran after me. I was faster. I shouldn't have been, yet I was. I suppose when I want something, I stop at nothing to get it. Perhaps that's how I was able out run him and find an empty bench, perfect for a lonely teenage girl. Because the one thing I wanted more than anything right now was to just be alone.

And to erase the last two weeks of my life.

**:O WHOA. Bet ya didn't see that coming. Okay, now I know you all wish that you could get my address so you can come hang me for what just happened… I get that. (Hahahaha… please don't) But the story isn't over! I'd estimate around eight more chapters to come, though I'm really not sure. I'm sorry if Cammie seems out of character in this. I know that it would probably take more proof for her to believe Zach's cheating, but this had to be done for the story to flow the way I've planned it. Please keep reading! The story will unfold more in the future chapters. And thank you SOOOO much for all of your amazing support! Reviews are greatly appreciated. Sorry for taking so long to update. I feel bad for making you wait, I just couldn't figure out how I wanted to word everything. If that makes any sense… Haha. I love you guys! Happy 4****th**** of July and God Bless!**

**P.S. You may be wondering why Liz isn't with the gang while they're in town. Let me explain. Mr. Solomon took the Cove Ops class (not the entire senior class) on a town day. And as you know, Liz isn't in Cove Ops. She is in the research field, so she didn't accompany them. Thanks for reading!**

**~SpaceNut**


	11. Sixteen Again

**Chapter 11: Cammie's Pov**

"Cammie! Cameron, where are you? What happened? Answer me! CAM!" I yanked the comms unit out of my ear and threw it down on the stained sidewalk in front of me. Bex and Macey's voices were driving me nuts, and I didn't need that right now.

I ripped off my shawl, that _stupid_ shawl, and placed it beside me on the bench. My floppy pink hat followed.

_Pink._ I hated pink. Seriously, who liked pink? It was absolutely the _worst_ color I'd ever laid my eyes on. Pink should represent everything wrong and evil in the world. Pink is bad. Pink is _Dee Dee_.

I didn't want to cry. Not there, not then. It was a very unspy-like thing to do. I would be attracting attention to myself. I'd be showing emotion. I would be sending myself into a state of vulnerability. That would be unwise, but my tear glands didn't seem to understand logic. So in result, hot trails of tears made their way down my cheeks. I pulled my knees to my chest and dug my face into the small gap between my legs and torso, sheltering my sobs from the outside world. At least here I could hurt and brood and break. Three things I tried desperately to avoid.

I decided to brood first. That was easiest. I let my mind take over.

Zach. His name sent a sharp pain through my chest. I tried to hold back the tears. I really, really did. I clutched at my sides even more desperately than before. _Zach._ He'd been lying. This whole time he'd been _lying._ I'd trusted him! I'd believed it all! I'd been such a stupid spy. I brushed frantically at the tears that were threatening to spill over onto my flushed cheeks. I'd been _so stupid._ Why did I believe him? He was just a silly boy looking for entertainment.

"_So stupid._" I uttered the words, shaking my head against the rough denim of my jeans.

A sob escaped my lips and I quickly clamped a hand over my mouth. I couldn't do this here. I couldn't lose my head over a boy who didn't even care. I just couldn't.

I tried to take a deep breath, but it came out ragged and weak. What kind of spy was I if I could even face my boyfriend? A terrible, pathetic, incapable-

"Cammie?"

_No._ Oh for the love of all that is good and pure in the world, _NO._I felt the anger in my heart quickly dissolve. Fear took its place.

_ "_Cammie is that you?" I heard soft footsteps come closer.

I knew that voice. Oh, I knew that voice _very well_. What kind of cruel twist of fate is this?

"_Cam?_" The voice was next to me now. It was followed by a warm hand, gingerly placed on my shoulder.

It's official. The world has turned against Cameron Morgan. The world wants Cameron Morgan to die of painful misery and ironic broken heartedness.

I turned my head in the opposite direction of the voice and ran my fingers forcefully beneath my eyes, making sure to rid my face of all the tears that had fallen. I took one last sniffle and turned to my right where a young brown-haired man was sitting with a very concerned look on his face.

"Hey Josh." I smiled. "What are you doing here?" I miserably failed.

"Cammie! It's been so long since I've-," He narrowed his chocolate-colored eyes and stared at my tear-stained face. "Have you been crying?"

No dip, Sherlock. You truly have a future in the clandestine industry.

I faked a laugh. "What? No, of course not." This is torture. The universe is persecuting me in the cruelest tactic imaginable: ex-boyfriend style.

"Are you sure?" He brushed a thumb over my cheek. I flinched. "I'm pretty sure you're lying."

I sighed. Any innocent, inexperienced pedestrian would have easily noticed. Why had I thought I could fool Josh? "You know, just a little."

He looked so different. Two years can really change a person. I used the opportunity to take him in. His jaw had become much more angular and his shoulders were broader. His body in a whole had become more defined, showing the difference between a boy and a man. He wasn't the same bashful sixteen year-old boy who'd found me digging in the trash cans of a Roseville fair.

But then again, I wasn't the same sixteen year-old girl that he'd met, searching for bottles to give to her metaphorical cat. Time changes people.

I rubbed my nose with the back of my hand and blinked at him, waiting to see what this 'new Josh' was like.

"What's wrong?" He tilted his head slightly, studying my face.

My immediate reaction was to lie. Lie, just like I always had. Just like I always will.

But my eyes caught Josh's. They were full of something that hadn't been there before. Understanding. Somehow, Josh seemed to understand. I didn't let myself think it through. I trusted my gut.

Maybe for once, I could be honest with him. I could tell Josh the truth. I could say how I really felt. He deserved that much. And perhaps, by some miracle, Josh would listen. He would just listen and not pry. He would _understand_.

"My boyfriend," I sniffled again. "Zach. Do you remember him?

Josh nodded.

"Well he's been sneaking off our campus and coming into town. I found out today that he'd been meeting up with Dee-" Realization hit me in the head like a hammer on a nail "Oh gosh, you aren't still dating Dee Dee, are you?"

Josh's lips twitched like he was laughing at a bad joke. "No, I'm not. Dee Dee and I split about a year ago. We wanted different things." His tone warned that it hadn't been a clean break-up.

"Oh."

"Yeah," He reached a hand back and rubbed his neck. "But it's all good. Anyways, you were saying?"

"Right. I was saying that Zach's been sneaking out to see Dee Dee." I hadn't realized how much it would hurt to say out loud. The words revived the deep, spreading pain in my chest. I gulped down some air, trying to fight back the sobs forming in my mouth.

Josh's eyebrows lifted. "Oh." He looked surprised, but not shocked. He'd changed so much. "Wow Cam. I'm so sorry to hear that."

I pressed my lips together. I couldn't take this. It was all so overwhelming.

Josh's hand found mine. "Are you alright?"

_Yes_, I told myself. _I'm fine. I am a Gallagher Girl. I'll be okay. _But the pain welling up inside me disagreed. I grudgingly faced the facts. "No." I shook my head. "I'm not alright." I pressed the heels of hands to my face, trying to cover my pitiful tears. "I'm anything but alright."

Josh didn't say anything. He didn't try to tell me everything would be okay. He didn't tell me I was being ridiculous, crying over a silly boy. No, he didn't utter a word. And for that, I was so thankful. He simply wrapped an arm around my back and let me sob into his plain grey t-shirt.

It felt strange at first. After all, I was sitting on a bench in Roseville with my ex-boyfriend, crying over the broken promises of my current boyfriend. Definitely not something you do every day. After the shock of Josh's gesture, I found that it was kind of… nice. I could be a girl with Josh. Just a normal girl. I didn't have to be anything else.

I'm not sure how long I sat like that, (which I now realize was a sign that I wasn't thinking straight) but I know that I was smiling when I pulled away.

"Thank you Josh." I rubbed my nose with the back of my hand. "I don't… I…" His eyes told me I didn't need to explain. "Just thank you."

"It's like I'm sixteen again." He laughed, running his fingers through his hair.

"Yeah," I sniffled, "I guess it is."

"You know Cam, I've really missed you."

This, I'll be honest, surprised me. I had always figured Josh had moved on with his life, left me in his past.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I feel like I can be honest with you. You know? I don't have to hide who I am." Josh's hand found its way to my shoulder.

I felt red flags shooting up in my brain. "I don't have to hide who I am.", he'd said. My mind started yelling at me. _What are you doing? You broke up with this boy because he could never know who you were! Don't you see something's wrong?_

I tried to push the thoughts away as Josh's face crept closer to mine. _Sure, we were different. But so what? Everyone's different. He sees the real me! Zach left. He doesn't care! Josh cares._

His lips were only an inch away now.

_This isn't the real you! You are a spy! Like it or not, you can't pretend to be someone else. You are who you are. You don't belong with him._

I hadn't kissed Josh in so long. Yet here I was, his lips pressed to mine. It felt good for a second. It felt _real_ for a second. It felt like something I could get used to. For a second.

Then the second ended and I realized that, not only will he never know I really am, but we could never be. Something would always stand between us. And that something was the undeniable fact that, no matter what had happened, I still loved Zach.

I placed my hands on Josh's chest and pushed away, standing on my feet and stumbling backwards. "I'm sorry, I can't… I just…"

But I never finished.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Suddenly, Josh was dangling in the air at the hands of none other than Zachary Goode.

**:O I promised Mr. Abrams, did I not? Well, everyone was asking that I updated, so I tried my best. Hopefully this wasn't too rushed. Thank you all so much for your reviews! They are so encouraging! This has to be one of the best fandoms out there! Ally Carter is on blessed lady. Well thank you for reading! Reviews are greatly appreciated! God Bless.**

**~SpaceNut**

**Disclaimer: All rights belong to Ally carter.**


	12. And So He Went

**~~~ Flashback ~~~**

**I closed my eyes as I anticipated the overwhelming sensation of what I like to describe as the 'wow factor' that I always feel when Zach kisses me. My anticipation was pointless. Zach didn't kiss me. I opened my eyes.**

**His pupils had grown wide with… fear? No that's crazy. Zach isn't easily scared. He blinked several times before dropping his hands to his sides.**

**"Zach, what's wrong?" I set a hand on his left shoulder.**

**"I," He shook his head. "I gotta go Cam. I'm so sorry, I really gotta go." He gave me a chaste kiss on the cheek that did NOT fulfill my previous expectations.**

* * *

**I walked to his closet and opened the door, in search of a clean shirt. Sitting on the ground, staring up at me with wide blue eyes and looking very uncertain about what to do, was Macey Mchenry.**

**I stared blankly at her. I'm pretty sure my mouth was ajar as I tried to muster up the will to say something. Let's face it, I'm not stupid. I had a pretty good idea of what I'd just discovered, but never in my lifetime would I have believed that Macey Mchenry would go behind my back with my boyfriend and then hide in his closet. Never.**

* * *

**"Okay Cam. I guess I understand where you're coming from, but I promise it's not what happened." She pushed herself up onto the desk and dangled her long legs over the edge. "I was just worried about what to tell you because I was afraid of hurting you and I didn't want to assume anything without real proof but I had to make sure I was right so I tried to confirm it without you and the girls but I got in over my head and you came in and Zach was just going to…" All her words came out quick and jumbled. She turned her eyes up from the floor to focus on mine. "I think," She gulped and I watched as pain and worry flashed over her face. "I think Zach's cheating on you with someone in town."**

* * *

**"Tell you what, I'll be back on Thursday. We can go then. Okay?"**

**"Okay." She grinned brightly. "You better get going. Here's your water." She handed him a plain white cup filled to the brim.**

**"Thanks." He returned the smile.**

**"I'll see you soon." Dee Dee stretched her arms over the counter to embrace his shoulders. He mimicked the gesture.**

* * *

**I hadn't kissed Josh in so long. Yet here I was, his lips pressed to mine. It felt good for a second. It felt real for a second. It felt like something I could get used to. For a second.**

**Then the second ended and I realized that, not only will he never know I really am, but we could never be. Something would always stand between us. And that something was the undeniable fact that, no matter what had happened, I still loved Zach.**

**I placed my hands on Josh's chest and pushed away, standing on my feet and stumbling backwards. "I'm sorry, I can't… I just…"**

**But I never finished.**

**"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Suddenly, Josh was dangling in the air at the hands of none other than Zachary Goode.**

* * *

**Chapter 12: Cammie's Pov**

Zach's hands were locked around Josh's neck so tight that his knuckles were turning whiter than the single cloud that passed overhead.

Josh's body shook in the air. "DON'T TOUCH HER." Zach raised him a few inches higher. "DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER. _EVER."_

To be honest, I had no immediate response to this. Even for a spy, things were getting a bit out-of-control. I mean really, how often does this happen in the real world? Does every teenage girl go through this?

Josh's choked gasps got my attention. "Zach, put him down." My voice was steady and even, though I wanted to scream.

Zach's fingers only tightened around Josh's throat. "_Why were you kissing Cameron?"_ Did he just call me Cameron? "Do you have a death wish?" He lowered Josh slightly so that they were eyelevel. "_Do you?_ I'll be happy to fulfill it."

"Zach! Put him _down_."

Zach obliged, dropping Josh onto the faded concrete.

"Are you insane?" I wish I could say that I was more concerned about Josh's wellbeing, but…. I wasn't. He was alive. He was breathing. I had some serious matters to attend to at the moment. "Have you completely lost it?" My voice was rising higher than I anticipated.

Josh moaned, backing away from us and propping himself up against a tree.

"_Lost it?_" Zach looked at me like _I_ was the delirious lunatic. "What were you two doing Cammie? Huh? I think I have a reason to 'lose it'."

I took a step back as Zach advanced towards me. I'd never feared him. He'd always protected me, not threatened me. But if the deadly look in his eyes was any indication, Zach wasn't here to keep me out of harm's way.

"S-stop Zach." I held up my hands in front of me. "You don't know what you're doing."

He balled up his fists and held them by his sides. "What were you doing here with, with that…" He didn't finish. He just blinked his eyes. "_Why?_ Why Cammie?"

It was hurt. That was the only way I could describe the look in his eyes. Pure, unmistakable hurt. I watched as his bottom lip wobbled a millimeter. He cared. He really did care.

"Why were you kissing him?"

The look in his eyes was so overwhelming that the whole coffee house incident didn't even cross my mind. It didn't matter. Instead, all I saw was the boy who'd saved me. I sorry, the _man_ who'd saved me _so many times_.

"WHY?"

And then it was gone. His beautiful emerald orbs didn't hold the same burning pain anymore. No, they were filled with rage, a look I knew all too well for an eighteen year-old girl. His eyes seemed to glaze over as if by magic. His lips pressed together so violently that I thought they might burst. He took a step closer.

"Why?" There was no compassion in his voice. Not even a hint. It was pure ice. All of the hidden warmth in him that I'd spent so long trying to find, vanished like vapor.

I wanted to tell him that it was a mistake. It was a foolish kiss. It didn't mean anything. I almost did, too.

"Did you ever care Cameron? Or was all of this just a game to you?" He spit his words out like venom.

That had been why, I remembered. The kiss wasn't completely foolish. It had been done for a reason. It had been done because _Zach didn't care_. Because Zach lied. Because Zach was at the coffee house. With _Dee Dee_. Because he never even _cared_.

"Why does it matter to you?" The words flew off my tongue before I could think about holding them back. I instantly regretted it. Zach eyes bore straight into mine.

He reached out and grabbed my wrists in his hands.

"Take it back." He barked. I saw the glisten of sweat on his forehead, making his hair sticky and wet. He'd run all the way here. "Take it back Cam." His grip started to tighten.

"Stop Zach. Please just stop." I tried to slip my wrists from his fingers, but he just pressed down harder. I yelped.

"Zach please," I begged, "you're hurting me."

I could feel the tears returning to my eyes. I'd thought he loved me… I'd always thought he loved me. He couldn't be doing this. It was just a dream. All of it, it had to be a dream. Nothing was making sense anymore.

"Take." I could feel my wrists bruising from the intense pressure of his hands. "It." He pulled me against his chest so I cowered under him. "Back."

I cried out from the pain. He loved me. I had thought… I had thought he loved me. How could he do-

A dark, swift fist made contact with Zach's jaw. He stumbled away from me, releasing my wrists.

"Zachary, stay away from her," It was Bex. Beautiful, strong, brave Bex. "Or I'll beat you to a bloody pulp. And you'll stay that way."

She placed herself in front of me, balled up fists held in front of her chest.

Zach got over his initial shock quickly. He blinked several times and shook his head vigorously. "Bex?" He looked up at her, his eyebrows pushed together. "Josh… Josh was…" He turned towards the bench to see that Josh had already escaped his wrath, not bothering to stick around and help me fight my way out. He turned back to me. "Cammie, you ran away…" He stepped towards me, but Bex blocked his path.

"Stop." Her voice was stony. "You hurt her Zach. You need to go."

I stared down at my hands, Zach eyes followed my gaze. My wrists were red, dark red. Blood was just starting to return to my fingertips, helping them retain their natural color instead of the light purple they'd been a second ago.

"No." Zach shook his head. "I didn't… I couldn't have…" He looked up at me, desperately pleading for reassurance that he was innocent.

I gave him the only answer I could muster. My tears. They started to slip away, out of my control. They were warm on my cheeks. I could taste their saltiness as they fell past my lips.

"NO… _no,no,no_. Cammie, please I'm _so so sorry_." He tried to step towards me, but a manicured hand held him back.

"Zach, you need to go now." Macey tugged lightly on his arm.

He shook his head. His eyes had returned to normal. Well, not quite. The glassy look was gone, but he still wasn't himself. He looked miserable.

"I wouldn't." Zach looked back at Bex, begging for her to tell him it was a misunderstanding. "I know I wouldn't!" His voice cracked in desperation.

"I'm sorry." Macey touched his hand lightly with her fingertips. "But you promised. We all promised. You have to go now."

What? Uh! I should just give up on understanding the world. They made a promise? About _what?_ ME?

"Please." Zach ran his hands through his hair, clearly stressed. "You know I didn't-"

"GO!" Bex screamed. Her finger was pointed northeast, towards the school.

Zach closed his eyes tightly. "I'm so sorry Cam." He whispered into the air before turning down the sidewalk.

Zach walked fast. His slumped shoulders quickly escaped my line of vision. We stared after him, not saying a word. He didn't look back once. Just walked.

_Go._ Bex had said _go. _And so he went.

_**I'm so sorry that it took forever to update! I know, it was extremely cruel of me to leave you on that cliffhanger for so long. Forgive me! I have excuses, but I doubt you want to hear them. Anyways, this is a very confusing chapter, isn't it? Yeah, I know. There's a reason for that. Don't worry though. Some of this will make more sense in chapter thirteen. You know like the whole 'Zach goes Hulk' thing. Yeah, I'll clear that up. ;) Well this was written late at night with an extreme lack of sleep, but hopefully it didn't disappoint. Drop a review and tell me what you think! Also, what do you think is going to happen? I love hearing your predictions! Thank you all so much for your amazing and continuous support! I'm sorry I haven't replied to all my reviews, my time has been otherwise occupied. Sadly. Well, again, thank you! God bless.**_

_**~SpaceNut**_

_**P.S. What did you think of the flashback? I've never done one before, but I thought it would be appropriate at this point. A lot has happened and I thought a little recap was in order. Anyways, post your thoughts!**_


	13. The Promise

**Chapter 13: Cammie's Pov**

"You were right." I lifted my eyes from the bag of ice resting on my wrists to face Macey. "You said he was cheating… he was." It wasn't any easier to admit the second time. I was still stunned.

I hadn't told them yet. We'd come back to our dorms quietly, barely speaking. None of us knew what to say. Thankfully, Liz was still in her advanced encryption class. We had time to think before spilling the news to her.

Macey had been staring at the charm bracelet on her wrist for a full eight minutes, completely silent. This broke her out of her trance. "Wh-What?" Her lips parted and her eyebrows lifted, confused and shocked.

Bex turned from the window she'd been looking out. Her eyes flashed murderously. "WHAT?"

I sat up straighter and adjusted the ice. "I saw him in the café. He was meeting Dee Dee. They talked about meeting up on Thursday and hugged goodbye." I tried to report the words like they were just another assignment. A simple mission in cove-ops. But I couldn't, because this was so much more. "He- he was cheating." My chest ached. It felt so hollow. I gasped air, trying to stop myself from sobbing. I wouldn't let myself cry over him _again_. I wouldn't.

Bex was moving towards the door. She gripped the handle and swung it open. It slammed into the wall, leaving an indent where the handle connected with the painted plaster.

"Bex! What are you doing?" I knew what she was doing of course, I just didn't know how to stop her.

"I'm going to go bash that despicable twit's head into the fireplace until his face is so mangled that he looks more like a mutated squid than a-"

"Bex." Macey's voice was soft and reasonable. "Get back in here and sit down."

"Don't you understand what's going on Macey? He broke the promise! Twice!" She held up two slender fingers.

"Hold on. What _promise_?"

This resulted in an eerie silence of lip biting on their part and staring on mine.

They'd been keeping a secret from me, obviously. I could only hope they had a good explanation.

"Guys," I prodded them further. "Tell me."

Bex sat down directly in front of me with her legs crossed, her anger had vanished. Macey scooted closer so that we were positioned in a triangle on the floor.

"Alrighty Cam, here's the deal," Macey spoke first, with a concerned sideways glance to Bex.

Bex huffed. "Fine. Remember when you left last summer?" It was a rhetorical question, but I nodded anyways. "Well Zach, ehm… how do you put it?" She turned to Macey for assistance.

"He lost his marbles." She provided helpfully.

"Yeah sure, he lost his marbles. He went mad. But it wasn't just that, he lost control of himself. He was like… like a beast. It was quite disturbing."

I remembered what Zach had told me the night had woken. He'd said he'd gone crazy. Apparently, that was far truer than I'd thought.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Macey spoke up. "Zach was like a machine. He turned cold. It was like-like he didn't know what he was doing until it was done. He wanted you back and he would stop at nothing to do just that. He was on the verge of insanity."

I regretted picturing it in my head. It only resulted in shudders.

"So after you got back, we made him promise that he'd be careful. We didn't want him to go into his 'assassin mode' while he was with you. He realized he could hurt you, too. So we promised. We all promised." Bex's voice was regretful. Her eyes were much too sad for her beautiful face.

"Promised _what_ exactly?"

"We made Zach promise not to hurt you. Ever. Not in any way, shape, or form. Then he made us promise to stop him, and if it came down to it, to uhm, 'dismiss' him. He wanted you to be safe, from everything. Even him." Macey smiled sadly, placing a gentle hand over one of my own. "We wanted to protect you. You've been through so much Cammie."

I bit down on my lip.

Zach had hurt me today, in more than one way. And now, he'd been exiled from my life by my best friends and ironically, himself. I pictured his back turned to me as he walked away. I had to blink back the tears.

"Cam, he's dangerous. You know that now. I know that now. He was trained to kill without thinking." Bex looked like she was in pain as she whispered the words, "We can't trust him."

I didn't know what to think, or what to feel for that matter. Zach had a side I'd never seen before (until now anyways). A monstrous side. My friends wanted to keep me away from him. _He_ wanted to keep me away from himself! Was a relationship even possible in this mess? Oh wait I almost forgot, he's also seeing my ex-boyfriend's ex-girlfriend behind my back. It just keeps getting better for me doesn't it?

So why in the world, with this insane maze of betrayal, did I want to think he was innocent?

* * *

I winced when Macey pulled the navy blue jacket over my wrist.

"Sorry Cam." She moved to my right so she could start on my next arm.

"We could try putting foundation over the bruises." Bex suggested, holding a tan bottle out the bathroom door.

"This is less painful." I called back.

Macey guided my hand through the sleeve, careful not to catch my fingers on the fabric. "There." She smiled. "You're good. Just keep the sleeves pulled down and tell everyone you have a cold."

I nodded. "Thanks Mace."

Liz did my hair while Macey got dressed. "How are you going to write Cammie?" She asked, running the brush through my locks.

"I won't, I guess. We don't do much writing these days anyway." I honestly don't have a clue how I'm going to do _anything_. Both of my wrists are circled in ugly purple bruises. I can't bend them without feeling pain shoot through my arms.

"We'll figure it out." Liz's innocent smile had a way of lifting my spirits. She pulled my dirty blonde hair into a low ponytail. "C'mon, I'm starving." She tugged lightly on my forearm.

"See you guys at breakfast!" I called over my shoulder as we walked out the door.

We'd only made it halfway down the hallway when Liz spoke.

"I'm so sorry about Zach. I had hoped it would never come to this." She sighed.

Josh wasn't the only one who'd done some growing up. Liz had also taken on the task. While she was still my most naïve roommate, she wasn't quite so innocent. She'd seen so much, so many unspeakable things. I was glad she still had hope in humanity.

We turned down a corner and walked on for a few seconds in silence. I truly didn't know what to say. I could tell her not to worry, that I was fine. But of course that would be a complete and utter lie.

I simply frowned. "I just don't know any more Liz." And that was the truth. Nothing more, nothing less. I felt a bit lost. I wished I could climb back under the covers of my bed and sleep. Sleep was so nice. There, I didn't have to face this sudden web of hurt.

Liz laughed. "I think that's how every teenage girl feels."

"I suppose."

We stood in front of the dining hall. Liz opened the door for me. I smiled in thanks to her.

Stepping inside, I scanned the room. Everything looked perfectly normal.

Except that Zach was missing.

**Oh my goodness, I am so sorry! It took me **_**forever**_** to update! (Well not quite forever but it definitely felt like it.) My Excuse: I didn't have internet access. My Second Excuse: I had a really hard time writing this chapter! Seriously, I had no clue where to start, so I apologize for its lameness. And its shortness. And it's lack of Zach Goodeness. (Haha, get it? Goodeness? Pun failure.) Anyways, there is more to come so please hang in there! I know exactly how I want the ending to go. The only problem is getting there. :P Thank you so much for reading! Please review! God Bless.**

**~SpaceNut**


	14. Gone

**Chapter 14: Cammie's Pov**

He never came. Not for breakfast. Or lunch. Or class. _Nothing._

I was so- well actually, I didn't know what I was. I couldn't really determine how I felt. You know how when you're painting, you can't mix too many colors together? If you blend a few more than you should, you just end up with an ugly puddle of brown blah. Well that was how I felt, like I mixed too many emotions and was left with a blob of bleakness.

So, too sum up, I didn't feel all that great.

I decided to go find Zach, wherever he was. Maybe seeing him would clear up the murkiness inside me. Or maybe I'd be overcome with rage and try strangle him with his own tie. (Not likely, but hey, you never know.) It was worth a try.

I slipped on my shoes and headed out the door, only to be stopped by the one and only British Bombshell. Her fingers gently tugged me back into our dorm.

"Don't go Cammie."

"What do you mean?" I turned to give her a convincing look that showed nothing but innocence. "I'm just gonna go out for a jog. Try and clear my head." Lie.

"Oh please." Macey laughed from where she was lying on her bunk. "We know you're going to Zach's room. We're not idiots."

I sighed. "Fine, I am. But you guys can't just hide him from me! Or whatever's going on. I need to face him and figure out what… what we _are_ now." I stepped away from Bex, edging myself closer to the door.

"_Hide him?_ You think were keeping him locked up or something?" Bex asked.

"I don't know!" I cried a bit desperately. "Okay? I just don't know! All I want is to figure out what the heck is going on!" I could sense myself losing my cool, but I didn't really care.

"What's going on is that you are staying here while I go search for the nitwit." Bex pointed to my bed. "You can't just go waltzing around with him Cammie. He's not safe!"

"I'm not a little kid Bex! I'm a fully trained Gallagher Girl who can handle herself!" She was treating me like a helpless damsel. She knew better than that.

"Oh you can, can you?" Bex's voice rose threateningly.

"Bex," Liz warned. "Don't."

"If you can protect yourself, why didn't you? Why did you let _that _happen?" She motioned towards the ugly marks on my wrists. "Why did you let him?"

I clenched my fists. "What was I supposed to do? I was in shock, okay? I never thought my _boyfriend_ would _attack me._"

"Cut it out guys." Macey's calm demeanor broke.

"Yeah? Well neither did I! I thought I could trust him. But apparently not!" Bex yelled. Her lip wobbled the slightest fraction.

"Well then that makes two of us!" It didn't make any sense to be screaming these confessions, but we did it anyway out of pure unstableness.

Bex pushed past me, out the door. I could hear her feet pounding down the hallway.

Macey groaned. "I should have known this would happen." She leaped down from her top bunk, landing on her feet effortlessly. "I'll go get her."

"No, no I should go. It's my fault anyways."

"Are you sure Cam? Bex can get a little irrational." Liz raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah," I nodded. "I'm sure."

* * *

I felt terrible for yelling at her like that. She was my best friend. Even if things weren't going all that great, I couldn't take it out on her. The only reason she was being so protective was because she cared.

I knew where she went. It wasn't that hard to figure out really. Bex would go straight to the source if she wanted to fix a problem. Zach.

The door was closed, as usual. I knocked twice and waited. No one answered.

_Deep Breath, Cammie. Everything's fine. You can do this. Whatever's going on can't be that bad. Just go-_

No way. There was just no way… "Bex?" I tried to make my voice as gentle as possible.

She didn't respond, just continued to sob. Yes that's right, s_ob._ Bex Baxter was _crying_. I couldn't believe it.

I kneeled down beside her, wrapping my arms around her shoulders. The room was empty besides us. No Zach. He was gone.

I felt myself start to tear up too.

"He's gone." Bex whispered. "He- he's gone."

I shook my head against her shoulder. "NO. No, no, no. He's not. He can't be..." And just like that I was sobbing harder than Bex. My body shook and my mind crashed. He wouldn't do this. He wouldn't just leave.

Bex moved to envelop me in her own embrace. I'd never seen her cry. Her gorgeous brown eyes were red and blurry. I leaned into her for support.

"I'm so _so_ sorry Cam."

"Me too."

**AHH! Oh, there are no words. Seriously, I don't really know what to say other than I am expecting quite a bit of hate mail after this chapter. Haha… well I would like to thank all of you awesome readers for reviewing. 166! That is so amazing to me! You guys rock! I apologize for the long waits I've been putting you through. I hope it was worth it! Also, (because I know I've been torturing all you Zammie lovers) there is more Zach to come… I promise. Thanks a million for reading! God Bless.**

**~SpaceNut**


	15. Cammie Goes Gallivanting

**Chapter 15: Cammie's Pov**

I didn't remember falling asleep, but I definitely remembered waking up.

_We were graduating. We were finally here. Black and white balloons surrounded me and streamers hung from the ceiling. It was so beautiful, everything I had wanted it to be. Gallagher Girls ran about, all sporting beautiful Hollywood smiles. Some even crying. I tried to take a mental picture of everything so I could remember it in the years to follow. I never wanted to forget something so perfect._

_"Congratulations Gallagher Girl." He stood behind me, still wearing his cap and gown._

_The edges of my lips shook. They didn't know how to smile this much. "You too Zach." _

_He offered me a single red rose, careful not to touch the thorns. "It's not much, but I thought you deserved a graduation gift." His eyes sparked happily at the smile on my face. _

_I took the rose into my own hand and hugged his neck. "Thank you." My words were muffled by his chest._

_He laughed. I loved his laugh. It was a bit too loud and his whole body shook when he released it. But that's why I loved it "Your welcome Cammie."_

_I dropped my hands down to encircle his waist and he rested his own on my hips. "We've graduated" I mumbled, still not entirely convinced. "We're all on our now."_

_"Not necessarily." Zach's fingers grazed my cheek. "I for one am not going anywhere."_

_My heart melted a little. "Good, I'm gonna need you here with me."_

_"There's nowhere else I'd rather be." Slowly, ever so slowly, his lips traveled towards mine. I watched his eyelashes flutter shut before allowing my own to follow suit. I could smell his faint cologne, and all I wanted to do was be here. Right here with him, forever. His lips met-_

"Cammie!"

I woke up with a scream, bonking my head on the dark wood above me. What the heck…

My first realization was that I was in a bed. And it wasn't mine. My eyes wandered until I saw how familiar my surroundings were.

The short wood table. One single window that looked over a lake. The lingering scent of… him.

I was in Zach's room. This meant, I realized with a blush, I was in Zach's bed.

"Cammie! Oh my gosh, Cam! Look!" Bex was shouting even though she stood a mere two feet away from me.

I blinked my eyes about five times before completely adjusting to the horrid light shining in through the window. My blush disappeared and was replaced by sudden heartbreak as the memory of last night struck me. He was gone. If only my stupid cheesy dream were true.

"The closet! The bathroom!" Bex continued damaging my eardrums. I only comprehended half of what she said. "He must still be here!"

That definitely woke me up. I jumped to my feet instantly.

"What?" I stumbled towards Bex, almost tripping on my own toes. "Still- still here?"

He didn't leave me. There was a possibility that he wasn't _gone_. That was the best news I'd heard in weeks.

Bex was grinning ear-to-ear and I swear her cheeks were about to explode.

"His stuff," She pointed towards the most neatly organized closet in the Gallagher mansion. "It's still here! He couldn't have left!"

I ran towards the closet, shoving the door back as far as it would go.

Bex was right. It was all there. The dark green ties that he hated with a burning passion. The shiny black shoes. The white collared shirts. Even the long black gown he was to wear tomorrow.

"C'mon!" I grabbed Bex's arm. By the time she reacted I'd already dragged her to the door.

"Hold up," She planted her feet on the ground, not budging when I continued to tug her. "What do you think you're doing? You can't just storm the mansion, screaming his name and hoping he'll come running."

I offered her one of my lovely idiot stares. "I _know_ that. I'm not stupid Bex." I took another step, my arm extending even further with her resisting me.

"Then what exactly do you have in mind?"

"Solomon."

* * *

There are a few privileges bestowed on eighteen year-old spies that manage to destroy ancient terrorist organizations. If I had to name some favorites, I'd go with not dying and skipping finals. But hey, that's just me.

The lights in the cove-ops classroom weren't on. Bex tried the door. _Locked. _She picked it easily. I wish I could say I was surprised by what I found inside. Unfortunately, I wasn't.

Two girls were binded together with Dr. Fibs super-strength dental floss. Another hung from the ceiling feet first. Three more were pinned on the far wall by… well, you don't want to know. The rest of the class was wondering around, silent and blindfolded. Their steps were light and tactful. Solomon stood to the right, holding a timer. He was currently giving us a death glare.

He stood, quickly maneuvered over the tile floor, and met us in the hallway. I shut the door behind him.

"This better be important Cam. I'm in the middle of giving a final exam." I have to say, Joe has softened up considerably. He looked more concerned than angered.

"It's Zach. I need to find him and fix things. Where is he?"

"Wait Cam, fix things? We just need to make sure he's safe. Okay? I don't want you gallivanting around with him while he's like this."

I turned to Bex with a raised eyebrow. "Gallivanting? Really?"

She crossed her arms over her chest. "It's a word!"

I snorted "And when was the last time-"

"Girls, please. I believe there are more important matters at hand." We reluctantly turned our attention back to him. "While Cameron's… love life is at stake and all," He stumbled over his speech, awkward in every sense of the word. "I'm going to have to side with Bex on this one. I don't think you should be spending any personal time with Zach in his current state."

I couldn't believe it. All the people I trusted most were discarding any chance I had at salvaging my relationship with Zach, if it was even possible.

"What do you mean, 'current state'? Where is he?"

"Cammie," Bex warned. "I care about Zach a lot. You know that. But as long as he's safe we need to let him work things out, okay?"

She looked at me, pleading. "I don't want you getting hurt again Cammie."

I grunted, "I told you that I could handle myself and besides he-"

"Cam," Mr. Solomon placed a rough hand on my shoulder. "Just hear us out. Zach deeply regrets what he's done but-"

"You know what happened?" Bex cut him off.

"He's a bit unpresentable at the moment." Solomon ignored her. "I know you want to straighten things out, but perhaps this isn't a good time. Please, promise me you want go after him?"

I was exceedingly sick of promises. They were pointless.

"You don't understand." I shrugged off Joe's hand. "I- I just have to clear things up. So much has happened. Everything's so confusing! All I want is to get my feelings straight."

"Cameron, promise me." Mr. Solomon had a way of holding your eyes, even when you didn't want to look at him. His stare was unwavering and intimidating.

I could feel Bex's eyes on me too, but it was impossible to turn away from Solomon.

I nodded my head, defeated. At this point, I was fully convinced that I'd never have peace again.

* * *

"Cammie, I thought Bex banned you from leaving the room." Macey's voice was light and playful, but I could tell she was concerned.

"No," I rolled my eyes, looking back at her bunk. "She banned me from searching. I'm just going to take a walk."

"That's what you said last time," She pointed out. She was lying on her stomach, swinging her legs in the air.

"Well I mean it this time." She eyed me disbelieving. "Seriously Mace, scouts honor." I raised three fingers and waved them around.

"You're not a boy scout, you're a Gallagher Girl." She laughed happily.

"You seem awfully… giddy. What's up?"

She rolled over onto her back and grinned, wide and toothy. "Preston."

I have to say, this was shocking. Macey hadn't been herself in weeks, but now she looked better than ever. Preston had that effect on her. I was glad one of us was getting a happy ending.

I smirked knowingly at her. "Okay, tell me everything."

I stood on Macey's bunk bed ladder for forty minutes, listening to her story about Preston's letter. The boy 'finally came to his senses and realized his undying love' (her words, not mine). He'd been granted permission by the school board to attend graduation tomorrow. It would be the first time they'd seen each other in a month. Macey beamed never letting her lips slip out of a smile.

* * *

Preston. Even Preston, the boy whose favorite accessory had once been a _Spiderman watch_ was fixing things with the girl he loved.

I walked down the halls running my hand along the familiar walls. I wouldn't have many more chances to stand here. I told myself to remember, remember everything. The good, the bad, the bittersweet.

I sighed when I came to stand in front of the tapestry that I knew so well. So much had changed. I just wanted things to go back.

It was easy to dwell on all the bad things- the lies, the bruises, that hollow feeling in my chest that wouldn't go away. The painful moments were always the first to come to mind. They made me angry, _so angry_.

But then, there were all the good things. I remembered that night on the roof when he held me and I forgot the rest of the world. I remembered the morning after, when my sides ached from too much laughter. I even remembered that moment in the park, only minutes before everything went downhill. I was so free with him. I could be myself. The good things cut deeper than the bad. They hurt more than the bruises ever would, because I wasn't sure if I'd ever have those good moments back.

I stepped into the secret passageway. I'd only walked a few steps when I screamed.

Zach's body was lying on the dusty floor in front of me. He was crumpled together like a piece of paper tossed at a wastebasket. I threw my hands to my mouth, trying to stifle the shrieks flowing out.

At the sound of my voice, Zach's eyes shot open. They were red and strained. I wondered how long he'd been lying there, limp and motionless.

"Cammie." The word fell off his lips.

_**Oh my my my… that took FOREVER! I am so sorry! I worked on it every day this week. I just haven't had much down time. Anyways, there it is. Chapter fifteen! I'm sorry about the cliffhanger. I just wanted to get this up as soon as possible. And to those who said that Cammie should have talked to Solomon… there ya go! I was planning it like that, so no worries. The story should be wrapping up soon, but I'm no good at estimating so I won't give you any exact numbers. Thank you so much for all your awesome support! I love hearing from you guys! Reviews are the bomb (am I the only one who still says that?). Haha, thanks for reading. God Bless.**_

_**~SpaceNut**_


	16. Pain

Chapter 16: Cammie's Pov

Zach's eyes went straight to me. They looked so intense, I found myself tripping backwards on my own feet. I kept my hands clutched over my mouth until I found enough stability to speak.

"Zach?" It was a question, not a statement. I wasn't convinced that this boy was my Zach. He looked like death had chewed him up and spit him out at my feet. I wanted to cry.

He scrambled off the ground, stumbling with the grace of a hippo. Once he reached me, his hands gripped my forearms. "Gallagher Girl." He looked intently into my eyes before crushing me too his chest. "Oh thank God." His hold relaxed slightly and turned into more of a cradle than a death grip.

I let him hold me. I may have even leaned into him. And it is possible that I was relishing his embrace. But that's beside the point.

It was about two minutes of peaceful silence later, but I eventually pulled away. "You look terrible."

"Well hello to you to," Zach smirked. It wasn't as charming with a busted lip.

"No, I mean… what happened?" I wanted to reach out, trace my fingers over the cuts and bruises covering his skin. But I didn't. I couldn't. I was supposed to be mad at him. I _was _mad at him.

"Oh," He ran his hand over his face. It was a bit terrifying seeing him so beat up. Who could do this to someone so strong and expertly trained? I was afraid of the answer. "You mean this? Oh, it's nothing Cam. I… I fell. But that doesn't matter. I just really-"

"You fell? You honestly expect me to believe you just _fell?_" I had been with him less than five minutes and he'd already tried to lie to me. "Gosh, it's like you think telling the truth is _optional_. Why won't you trust me?"

"Cammie," He reached out a hand but I dodged it, afraid of the effect his touch would have on me. He shook his head, dismayed. "You're- you're right. I'm sorry that was stupid. I'm just afraid of what you might think if I told you…"

"Zach," My voice was firm. "Who did this to you? Why?"

He shook his head, his snarled hair falling even further over his eyes. "Cammie, really, you might think-"

"Who?" I practically wailed.

"Me." He stepped away, clearly defeated. His form slouched back against the wall, blending into the darkness that swallowed the unlit path.

"Wh-what?" I stood there for a second, troubled to say the least. My head couldn't quite comprehend it. He would never actually… "Zach!"

And then, as much as I kinda wanted to punch in his face, I was kneeling next to him. "What the heck is wrong with you?" I screeched. "How could you dare do this to yourself? To _me?_ Did you even think of how this would affect other people? Huh? How do you think _I _feel seeing you like this?" My hands were cupping his cheeks and I could feel the familiar texture of dried blood beneath them. Zach's face turned, leaning into my palm like a pillow. He looked… happy. I didn't understand. "Why would you do this Zach?" It was a broken whisper, sounding much weaker than I had intended.

He sighed. I could feel his breaths against my skin. I shivered. He lifted a hand up and reached for my wrist. He didn't grab it, or even try to. He just insisted, using his eyes to promise no harm would be done.

Instinctively, I pulled my hands to my chest in hopes of protecting the tender flesh. Zach didn't appear disappointed or hurt; he just kept looking at me, kept pleading. I timorously gave in, assuring myself that the slightest mishap would result in his undoing.

Zach carefully nudged my sweatshirt back, revealing the bruises. His fingers grazed over my black and blue skin like feathers. I anticipated the sharp pain to pierce me, but it never did. He was so gentle. I had never imagined he could be this delicate, this soft. But then again, it seemed I didn't know a lot of things about Zachary Goode.

His hands began to shake and he pulled away, staring at them like they were killers. "Because," He whispered, "I did this to you."

I couldn't deny it. I wanted to. _So much. _But it was true, as much as I wished it wasn't.

He closed his eyes and let out a rattled breath. "I hurt you." He crossed his arms over his chest and tucked his hands away to stop the shaking.

"Zach," I couldn't just tell him it was okay. That was a lie and I'd had enough of those. It _wasn't_ okay. Things weren't _alright_. "I- I just don't know." I admitted. It answered the unspoken question. I could feel the pressure lingering in the air. We were both wondering, 'Are we going to get through this?'

Zach nodded solemnly. He didn't need me to clarify, he understood.

"It's just…" I stared down at the bruises lining my wrists. The events of that day flooded back so easily, so painfully. "Well Zach, it's not going to be easy to trust you."

"I get it." His voice was dark, not cocky or flirty or anything I was used to. "It's going to be hard for me to trust you too."

I swear I almost choked. "_What?" _I stared at his beaten body, willing my ears to have deceived me.

He turned his broken eyes to me. Those eyes I'd once found protective and loving were now troubled and stormy instead. He caught the confusion on my face and raised his eyebrows. "You were kissing Josh, Cam. You were _kissing _him." The way he said it… it broke my heart even more. It wasn't an accusation. It wasn't meant to guilt trip me. He was simply stating that he wasn't the only one who'd been hurt that day.

If I wasn't so distraught, I'd probably be screaming my head off by now. "What are you saying? You think _I'm_ cheating on _you_?"

"Well I don't know about _cheating_." He wasn't kidding. I stared at his eyes, probing for the slightest hint of sarcasm. None Zip. _Null._

_ "WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH YOU?" _ I'm pretty sure everyone in the mansion heard me.

Zach scrambled backwards, fear evident in his eyes. I never thought I would see him so terrified. I was wrong.

"I didn't even kiss him! He kissed _me!_ It's nothing compared to what you've done." I was on my feet now, stomping towards him like some sort of deranged giant.

"Cammie," Zach's voice was soothing and light now. "I now that I hurt you and you'll never know how sorry I am, but it's not what I wanted to do. It's never what I wanted to do. I promise you. I'll never forgive myself. My instinct kicked in because I saw you with him and it…"He stared up at me, eyes wide and heart open. "And it hurt. A lot." His pupils weren't dilated. His breathing was even. He was telling the truth.

"Well it hurt me a lot when I discovered you'd been sneaking out to meet up with Miss Pretty-In-Pink!"

Zach just looked at me. There were too many emotions crossing his face for me to pinpoint any one of them. "I don't…" His voice was wispish. The rest of the sentence was lost in the crash coming from the passageway door.

"Cammie!" Bex bursted in behind me. "I heard screaming… Bloody hell!" She caught sight of Zach. "What in the world happened?" She rushed to his side. "Cammie, go get Mr. Solomon."

"But-"

"Cammie, _go_." Her voice was urgent. She motioned her head towards the entrance.

I started running, but not before I looked back at him. I could see it clearly now. One emotion beat out the rest and was plainly displayed on his face. Pain.

**After writing, rewriting, and rewriting my rewrites, we have arrived at the final copy of chapter sixteen. Seriously, I don't think I've put that many rough drafts into a fanfiction piece… ever. I'm happy with it, so I hope you guys are too! They may seem a bit out of character. I had trouble trying to balance their feelings for each other with the anger coming from the present events. :P Perhaps I over think these things… Anyways, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING! I never imagined I'd get so many reviews… you guys are so amazing and I feel so blessed to have you following my work! Sorry for the slow updating. I blame school. It's all school's fault. School stinks. I could continue on that subject but I doubt you want to hear my blubbering. ;) Until next chapter… Adios! And God Bless, of course.**

**~Spacenut**

**P.S. Yes, I'm being cruel and leaving you on a cliffy… I can only hope you'll forgive me. ;)**


	17. Chameleon Super Powers

Chapter 17: Cammie's Pov

They had said he was going to be fine. They said it was only minor injuries and a little shock. They said he'd be back to normal by the next day. I didn't believe them.

"Cam! You aren't going to be ready in time if you don't get off your butt!" Macey waved her mascara wand at me.

I looked up at her blankly. I was lying on my bunk with my arms crossed over my chest. My roommates had been bustling about all morning doing hair, make-up, and all sorts of pointless things. Why should I spend three hours getting ready? No one would be paying attention when I walked across the stage. I'm the Chameleon. I'll just fade into the background like I always do.

Macey sighed, setting down her cosmetics and walking over to my bunk. She squatted next to me. "Cammie, I don't want-"

"Please Macey," I pulled my covers up further over my chest, "Just let me rest. I don't care what I look like on that stage. It doesn't matter."

"You only graduate once. I'm going to make sure it's one you don't want to forget." She smiled at me, part sympathy and part determination. "So get out bed."

* * *

Graduation at Gallagher was traditional. The mansion was locked down in an all-day code red since outsiders would be attending the ceremony. Everything looked perfectly normal. Except for the boy standing against the wall with the cut running along his jawline.

Zach stood by Mr. Solomon. He looked… better. Oh who am I kidding? He looked like a dying raccoon. He had one black eye and a limp in his right leg. His hair was disheveled like he'd rolled out of bed and not bothered with it. He was the only Gallagher boy in the room. And he was staring at me.

It took every bit of my willpower to stay in my designated seat next to Aunt Abby. I don't know what I would have said if I allowed myself to speak to him. I don't know if I would have been able to say anything at all, but my natural instinct wanted me to jump out of my seat, run over to him, and just… fix him. He was broken. I'd never seen him broken, and I just wanted to fix him.

Aunt Abby reached for my hand and gave it a light squeeze. "You look beautiful kiddo."

I smiled back politely, fidgeting in my chair. I couldn't hold still. I felt like I was going to burst into flames if I didn't talk to him. My mind was on overload.

My mother stepped onto the stage and I sighed in relief. I _couldn't _talk to him now. No matter how badly I wanted to, I couldn't interrupt the ceremony. What a wonderful excuse.

She tapped the microphone to get the room's attention even though every eye was already fixated on her. "Good afternoon. I would like to welcome you to the graduation ceremony of Gallagher's senior class."

There was some applause from the crowd and then she continued the speech she gave every year. I drowned out her voice with my own thoughts. _Was Zach still looking at me?_ I snuck a peek. Yep. His eyes watched me without wavering. It wasn't one of those creepy stalker-stares. It was more concerned. The depth of his green eyes pulled me towards him like some kind of spell. I gripped the edge of my seat to keep from bolting across the room.

Aunt Abby turned to me and whispered, "Don't nervous Cams. You'll do great." Oh shoot, they were calling out our names.

I nodded. My nails were digging into the chair. I was going to bend the plastic if I didn't ease up my grip.

"Rebecca Baxter," My mom announced triumphantly. She made the name sound like a trophy, something prized and treasured. It was hard not to.

I released the chair to applaud Bex. Thank goodness too; I was bound to break it soon.

Aunt Abby nudged me and I smiled back at her. It was the first genuine smile I'd worn in days. I couldn't help it.

Bex's smile was wide and warm. Her hair was bouncing gracefully with every step she took. She looked brilliant, like a true British Bombshell. After she accepted her diploma, she spotted me in the crowd and winked. I rolled my eyes.

The rest of the names were read off and each graduate followed the proper routine. I willed myself to get lost in the simple act of clapping. I couldn't look at Zach… I would lose my head if I did.

Naturally, they called his name before mine. He didn't walk with pride and dignity like the girls that had gone before him. He was slouched over and his steps were inelegant. I suppose most people would have thought it was because he was a teenage boy graduating at a school for girls. There isn't much pride in that, I guess. But I knew better than that. Zach simply wasn't happy with... _us._ A diploma wouldn't change that.

Even when he was accepting the certificate he looked at me. I tried to smile. I'm not really sure if it _looked_ like a smile, but his eyes sparked a little. I think it might have been hope, or maybe it was just my imagination.

The ceremony continued and mom eventually called me up shortly after Macey (who had been enjoying the attendance of her _special guest_ very much).

I wish I could say that it was an eye-opening experience. That, as I received my diploma, I was hit by an extraordinary revelation that unveiled what I had to do to make everything right again. It wasn't. I simply smiled at my mother and took the fancy paper from her hands.

She leaned over and whispered in my ear, "I'm proud of you." I squeezed her arm as a sort of symbolic hug and made a mental note to give her a real one the first chance I got.

* * *

The ceremony ended. We graduated. That was it.

I sat in the library alone, trying to wrap my head around it. We _graduated._ It was perhaps one of the most bizarre things I'd ever thought. I wasn't attending Gallagher anymore. It was over. I was just a spy now. The training had officially ended. Of course, I was just using these thoughts to block out what was really the most bizarre thing in my head. _Zach_.

I was sprawled across the couch, hugging a pillow to my chest and trying to curl my toes into the crack between two cushions. It was dead silent. Everyone was busy celebrating in the Grand Hall with their families and friends, the people they loved. I should've been there too. I should've been relishing in every last moment I could salvage with my sisters. But I couldn't. I was too afraid of seeing the one and only Gallagher Boy in the entire school. So I lied there, counting off the seconds lost. Until I heard his footsteps.

"You know Gallagher Girl, you're missing one heck of a party." He sat down on the floor, eyelevel with me. He still looked like he'd been hit by a bus. But he sounded about ten times better than when I'd last spoken to him. He sounded hopeful.

I didn't know what to say, so I didn't say anything at all. I just waited.

"So whatcha doing in here anyways?" He hesistantly reached out a hand, and when I didn't resist him, he rested it on my cheek. It was rough and callused and not at all how a girl imagined her prince charming to feel like. But I was a spy, and he felt familiar. And, as much as angry Cammie denied it, loving Cammie welcomed the gesture.

Gently, he rubbed his thumb over my cheek bone. "Hiding." I admitted.

He nodded. "Ah, yes. Using your chameleon super powers again, are we?" He was acting like his old self, and it startled me a bit. I was getting used to screaming and fighting. I missed joking around like the world didn't rest on our shoulders.

I shrugged, suppressing the giggle I would normally offer him freely. Silence filled the room once again. I tried to find the perfect words to break it, but it was impossible. There was no proper way to say things like this.

I placed my hand over Zach's and peeled it away from my cheek. He looked at me cautiously, but I just fitted my fingers into his. "Okay Zach. I'm tired of being mad. And quite frankly, I'm no good at it. So could you just tell me point blank what happened so I can decide where to go from here? I'm not making any promises about what will happen and I don't know if you want any promises from me anyways. So please, just tell me. _All of it_"

I watched his face. He blinked twice, pressed his lips together, and gulped some air. Then, his lips quirked, perhaps half a millimeter, into the smallest smirk I'd ever witnessed. "I can tell you tonight. I can tell you everything. But I need you to trust me. And I need to know I can trust you. I need a promise from you."

"What?" I raised my eyebrows. This boy wasn't getting any simpler.

"Promise me that you don't have feelings for Josh."

I bit down on my lip. "Really?" I sat up abruptly, clenching my pillow tightly to keep myself from lashing out any more than I could help. "Are you telling me, that after _everything _that's happened, you doubt me?"

"No, it's not like that." His eyes lit up, aware of the fact that'd he'd just crossed a line. "I just want you to tell me to my face. I just want to hear it. I want to know with full confidence that you're mine. And I'm yours."

I groaned. "Why? Why am I making promises to you, when you're the one who can't keep promises? Huh? When you're the one who's been off!" I stood, slipping my fingers through his. "And how come we can't have one simple conversation without it turning into an argument?" I could feel tears pricking the corners of my eyes. "Ugh!" I groaned. "See? See what you do to me?" I wiped at the tears before they could fall.

"Cammie! Please! Forget it. Forget what I said! Okay? I'm no good with words anyways! I mess them up! That's not at all how I planned for this to come out!"

I was already marching towards the exit. "Why can't we make this work?" I screeched. "What's wrong with us!" I didn't turn around to ask the question, I just kept walking.

"Stop!" Zach yelled. He ran in front of me and brought me to a halt. It was hard to notice his injuries now because I couldn't look away from his eyes. They burned intensely, pleading and begging. I was speechless. "Cammie, just meet me tonight, okay? Please. If you ever felt _anything_ for me at all, meet me tonight. Everything will make sense. I need you to come. I can fix this. _We can make this work." _

"I- I don't know. That doesn't sound-"

He kissed me. _Kissed me_. I think I'm the first girl to ever be so utterly shocked that her _boyfriend_ kissed her. But he did. I pretty much melted. I didn't know what to say or do or think. I just stood there, limp in his hands like a rag doll. He pulled away quickly and practically incinerated me with the intensity in his eyes. "Please."

And with that, he shot out of the room like a madman.

I stood there mindlessly for about two or three minutes. See? I was so disoriented I wasn't even sure how much time had passed! Then I groaned, _very loudly_. _Boys. _They're impossible. You think you might finally be able to hate them, and then, Bam! They kiss you with their super cocky aura. It's not even fair.

**Alright, after a short period of thorough angst, I'm back to my fluffy and bubbly self. Only problem? This chapter was supposed to be all deep and meaningful and junk. I think I wrote it considerably light (feelings wise) compared to what I had in mind. So please excuse the lack of anger, hate, pain, etc. When I'm in my fluffy mood, I'm just... feeling the love. Haha… but seriously, excuse my newfound lack of angst. It's hard not to let my cheerfulness bleed into my writing. Also, I think Zach's a bit OOC, but like I said, I'm just in my happy place now. I must write happy things when I'm in my happy place! So anyways I'd say there are about two chapters left. HALELUJAH! I am so ready to have this story complete! Then I can work on the other five billion ideas milling around in my head. Thanks a million for reading and please review! Your comments make my day. Happy Labor Day weekend! God bless!**

**~SpaceNut**


	18. The Messenger

**Chapter Eighteen: Cammie's Pov**

I'd never been much for parties. They were too loud, too lively, too wild. But there was one thing I liked about them. Parties make for a wonderful cover.

I slipped out after an hour of fruity punch, forced smiles, and innocent small talk. The party was truly lovely. Our staff had gone all out. There were streamers, balloons, a banner, even fancy finger sandwiches on silver platters. While I'd been dreaming of it for years, I couldn't stand being there. I needed to be alone, to think. So I left. Slipped into the shadows like a ghost. It was exactly forty six minutes and twelve seconds later when Solomon found me curled up on a large windowsill.

"Ah, finally." He took long graceful strides towards me, hands in his pockets. "I found the life of the party."

I looked away from my reflection and held up my hands in mock surrender. "You caught me. I've gone over the legal fun limit."

Joe snorted at my sarcasm. He leaned against the window frame, looking more like James Bond than any actor ever could. "I've been sent to seek you out and deliver a message." He reported it smoothly and mysteriously. I raised my eyebrows. He shrugged. "Zach said he needed some assistance."

"Ah," I nodded. "And what, exactly, are you assisting him with?"

"Well, I hear you too…" He shifted his weight from foot to foot. Was it just my imagination, or did Joe Solomon look uncomfortable? "Have a uhm, special evening planned."

This caught my attention even more than the strange characteristics Joe was exhibiting. "_Special evening?_ All I got was 'meet me tonight'." That's me. The girl who's hot spy teacher knew more about her dates than she did.

Joe shrugged. "Whatever the case, I'm here to tell you that I'll be waiting outside with your ride in an hour and a half. Eight O'clock sharp. Wear something nice." He started to turn on his heel, but I stopped him.

"Wait." I held up a hand and Joe faced me again. "So I'm supposed to be going to a fancy dinner tonight?"

"I think that's the idea." He looked at me blankly, glanced at my Gallagher edition sweatpants and plain T-shirt, and raised his eyebrows. "I would suggest changing first."

I huffed. "And why should I go? Just because he's some kind of kissing god? Is that why? He thinks he can just order me around wherever he wants?" Okay, I'll admit. I'd been overthinking and over exaggerating at this point. My voice of reason had been some-what washed down with my five cups of punch.

Joe made a face that said 'Look, I'm just the messenger guy. Okay?' But I continued ranting.

"I mean seriously! Why didn't he tell me this earlier? It's like I'm just a fan girl who'll go wherever he wants-"

"Cameron." Joe butt in. I looked up, into his eyes, and found that he was partially glaring at me. "Do you have any idea how awkward this already is? I'm practically commissioning a date between my son and my daughter!"

I looked down at my bare feet. "Sorry."

Joe shook his head, laughing to himself. "No, it's okay." He sat down next to me. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't approve."

Despite myself, I found that I was grinning. "Really?"

"Yeah," He smiled back at me, honest and genuine. "I want what's best for you both and I know you two will always keep each other safe."

"Well I don't know about that." I found myself gazing down and my wrists. They were covered in layers of make-up.

Solomon grimaced. "I- I think maybe I should explain something to you Cameron."

I turned my attention back to him.

"You see, Blackthorne has a very uhm, _focused_ curriculum." He snuck a peek at my wrists. He knew. "They try to mold young boys into the machines they need. They're making weapons, not spies. And well, weapons don't have feelings. Obviously. They're just things. What I'm getting at is, assassin's become void of emotion. They are cold and cruel." He frowned, absorbed in his own words. "Zach was taught to become an assassin, just like all boys at Blackthorne are." He paused to make sure I was still following his speech. I nodded for him to continue. "He was trained to become a machine, a weapon. But that's not what he wanted to be. He didn't want to be one of the bad guys. He wanted to save people's lives, not take them away. So he switched sides. He learned the skills. He became one of you."

Things were starting to make sense. Sure, I'd known all this before. I knew who Zach was. I knew who Zach had become. But now, I could see exactly _where_ he was coming from. I could see it in Joe's eyes, the way his voice was cold and hard, how his jaw set tightly. Joe _did not _like this place. Blackthorne made monsters, and it wasn't an easy transformation to undo.

"But it's difficult," Joe continued, "to walk away from the life you always knew. You have old habits. One for example, would be shutting out your emotions. That in particular was what Zach struggled with the most, and still struggles with today. I've been personally training him on how to control himself. But then he got hurt." He glanced at me. His eyes were sad. "And he forgot. Do you understand what I'm saying Cammie?"

I simply nodded.

"I do not mean to imply that what Zach did to you was in any way acceptable, but I think he's suffered the consequences. And I hope you can find it in you to forgive him."

What he did next surprised me. Hesitantly, he reached out a hand and wrapped it around my shoulder. Then even _more _hesitantly, he bent down his head and pressed his lips to my forehead. It was a fatherly kiss, the kind I hadn't experienced in many years.

"I love you Cammie. I never want you to get hurt, but I trust that Zach will take protect you. Even from himself."

I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him tightly. He stiffened at the initial contact, but quickly relaxed and squeezed me back. "Thank you." I whispered.

When we pulled away I found that Joe was reaching into his pocket. "Now," He started, "I'm prepared to offer you a deal. If you'll go have a simple dinner with your… boyfriend," I laughed at how strange the word sounded coming out of his mouth, "I'll propose to my girlfriend." He pulled a small grey ring box from his pocket and popped it open to prove that there was, in fact, a real ring inside.

I smiled happily at him. "I have a feeling that you're proposing whether I go or not."

He shrugged. "Are you willing to take that risk?"

"Not really," I laughed. "But I'm glad you finally go over your commitment issues."

Joe stood abruptly and shoved the ring back into his pants pocket. "Nice chat Cameron." He started to walk away again.

"Joe!" I called, trying to stop myself from unleashing the giggles building up inside. "Oh c'mon!"

He looked back at me once, and with all the cool confidence that is Joe Solomon, said "I'll see you at eight."

Bex and Liz were still visiting with their families downstairs, but I managed to snag one of my roommates for some help.

Macey welcomed the task of a makeover with open arms. (Not that she'd ever turn one down.) And of course, she was twice as excited to play human Barbie when she had a new assistant.

"Preston! I need more wax!" Macey yelled from where she had me pinned down on the floor.

"Got it!" Preston called back.

"No! No, she does _not _need anymore!"

Preston laughed as he walked up behind Macey, holding out at small yellow jar. "Here you go babe."

She craned her neck to smile at him and give him a small kiss on the check. "Thanks hun."

This proceeded for a full hour until Macey finally deemed me presentable.

"There." She smiled, spinning my chair around to face her full length mirror. "You can look now."

Maybe the waxing was worth it after all. Despite my usually plain appearance, I looked _good_. Yes, I'm willing to admit it. Macey McHenry knows how to play dress-up, and play it right.

I wore a borrowed deep purple dress that reached my knees. It was simple. Nothing about it stood out or popped. It fit me perfectly. Somehow, it accented my average features in a way only style science can explain. I mimicked Macey's smile.

"Thank you." I hoped it sounded as rich and genuine as it felt.

She continued to grin approvingly. "Anytime Cams. You look beautiful."

Preston stood beside her, his arm wrapped over her shoulders affectionately. He nodded his own consent. "Knock 'em dead Cam." He grinned, then caught himself. "Figuratively, of course."

Mr. Solomon was parked out front just as he had promised. He started the engine as I stepped into one of our official Gallagher vans. His eyebrows rose when he saw me. "I see you clean up well."

I snorted. "I wouldn't call a Macey McHenry Extreme Makeover 'cleaning up', but sure. Whatever you say Mr. Solomon."

And with that we drove off, silent anticipation filling the air so thickly I might as well have been breathing in smoke. Everything was supposed to make sense after tonight. That's what he had said. I could only hope and wish and pray that he was right.

**I don't have much to say other than there is ONE MORE CHAPTER. I'm absolutely drained of words. I pretty much just sat with my laptop for two hours and typed. And checked my facebook. Yeah! Friday nights! Well I hope you liked it. That is how I see Solomon. Interesting? Accurate? Absurd? Depends how you see it, but you can always tell me in a review. (insert discreet wink) Haha, okay well until next time fellow fictioners! God Bless.**

**~SpaceNut**


	19. Dinner With the Twit Who Got Stood Up

**Chapter 19: Cammie's Pov**

The restaurant was small, just like every restaurant in Roseville. It consisted of a single room, lit by small, old fashioned lanterns that were placed on each table. The walls were lined with ugly floral wallpaper that clashed with the rest of the down-home decorations. It was perfect.

A hostess greeted me as soon as I walked in. She looked bored out of her mind. It didn't take long for me to figure out why. The place was completely deserted. Well, except for the one boy whose face was pressed against his ceramic bread plate.

The woman's eyes sparked when she spotted me, clearly glad to have something to do. "Can I help you miss?" She was already guiding me to a table.

"Actually, yes." I pointed to Zach and smiled. "I'm with the twit who thinks he got stood up."

She nodded. "Thank goodness. He's a mess." And with that, she set down my menu and left.

Zach _was_ a mess. Sure, he looked like quite the hottie all dressed up in his button down shirt and tie, but that didn't stop me from noticing his state of pure despondence. His face was, as I said, resting on his plate. His hands were hanging onto the back of his neck, partly covered in his mussed up hair.

A middle-aged waiter walked up next to him, smiled politely at me, and tried to speak. "Sir, your-"

"I'm waiting here until you close. Please, just leave me alone." He grumbled against the plate.

I bit back a laugh. "Don't be so hard on him Zach. He's probably just trying to tell you that your chicken is getting cold."

Zach's neck snapped up and his eyes widened at the sound of my voice. He grinned lopsidedly at the sight of me donning my formal wear, just as he'd asked. "Cammie." He sighed.

I snorted at his goofy smile and sat down in the seat opposite his. "I'm here. I'm a little late, but I'm here."

The smile never left his lips. "That- that's fine. You're here. That's all that matters." He turned to face the waiter. "One raspberry ice tea for the lady please."

"I'll be back in a moment." The waiter tipped his head and winded between the tables until he reached the small kitchen door.

"So I'd prefer it if we just cut right to the chase." I felt confident in my Macey-makeover state. "Tell me what you need to tell me."

His joy disappeared and was replaced with a nervous expression, but only for a moment. Then he was back to beaming at me. "Yeah, of course. Uhm- where to start…" His eyes flitted back and forth between me and his abandoned dinner, not sure where to rest. "Well, I guess…"

"Just start at the rooftop." I dared to reach across the table and rest my hand on his own. He stared down at it and smiled.

"No," He shook his head and allowed his eyes to drift to me, and me only. "You have to hear the whole story."

I raised my eyebrows, but gave a slight nod.

"Alright, here we go." He cleared his throat and gulped apprehensively.

In all honesty, I was expecting a big, romantic proclamation. I thought maybe he'd tell me how his undying love for me couldn't be hindered. How he and I could face anything and everything thrown at us. I thought he'd tell me this was all just a big misunderstanding. What I _didn't _expect was for him to clasp both my hands tightly, sigh, and say, "I'm pretty much broke Cam."

Yeah, not exactly what I'd been anticipating. "Uh, _what_?"

"Please save all questions until the end of my speech." He smirked happily.

I narrowed my eyes. "Zach, I don't see how this is relevant to-"

"Hold on," He held up a finger. "Give me a minute. I think you'll find the rest of my story very interesting."

I sank back into my seat. "Fine. Go ahead. I'm listening."

Zach nodded gratefully. "Thank you." He cleared his throat. "Okay, so like I said. I don't have much money… at all. And well, there's this girl I really like. She's graduating today." I raised my eyebrows, promising myself that if he was talking about Dee Dee, I was going to be paying that Barbie doll an unwanted visit. "She's… she's brilliant." His eyes danced with a light that had been absent only a few hours prior. I was curling my toes (not an easy feat while wearing skin-pinching heels) and trying not to drown myself in anxiety. "She really deserves something special, much more than I could ever give her. So I tried my best."

"Look, if this is about _Dee Dee_ you really should just tell it to my face. Don't drag it out like this. Okay?" He was sliding from his seat, his eyes fixated on me intently. "Really Zach, I've been through enough. I don't want to hear about your plans with her." He was smiling, yes _smiling_, as he stepped towards me. "And would you cut that out? Gosh, do you even care Zachary!" I continued to blubber. I hardly noticed that he was now kneeling in front of me for the tears that were starting to prick my eyes. "Have you completely forgotten me?" He reached for my hand and held it gently. "Would you _say something_?"

At this, I allowed myself to full-on glare at him. To say I was surprised at what I saw would be the ultimate understatement.

Zach was kneeling in front of me, clasping my hand, and digging through his jacket pocket. His smile was half joy and half humor. His slipped his fingers from the dark topcoat he was wearing. I saw the little white box before he even held it out to me.

"Cammie, I've wanted to tell you this for a while, but things got a little crazy. I think you're-"

"WHOA!" And then I was on my feet, pulling my hand from his soft fingers and backing away. The entire staff at the restaurant was openly staring. Even our waiter, who'd been in the middle of bringing me my raspberry ice tea, had stopped mid-step to observe us. "Za- Zach, _put that away._" I could hear the fear in my voice. I could feel the trembles running through my body. "_Put. It. Back."_ I pointed at the ring box like it was a deadly weapon, loaded with ammo I couldn't avert.

"But-"Zach insisted, cracking open the jewelry box.

"What are you doing?" I cried out. I held my hands to my forehead, wondering how things could spin even further out of control. "I mean- _Zach! _What do you expect me to _say_?"

"Cammie, calm down. I don't think you-"

"I'm eighteen!" I yelled too loudly. "I can't get _married_! Mom would _kill me_."

"Cam, this isn't-"

"And Solomon! Oh gosh, how in the world could I ever explain this to Joe?" I looked at Zach desperately. This wasn't happening. This was _insane_.

"_Cammie." _Then he was on his feet. His hands were wrapped around my forearms and he held me only a few inches away from his chest. "_Calm down_."

I hung my head and took a deep breath, reminding myself that we were in a public place. When I looked back up, Zach was just searching my face worriedly.

"Zach, this is crazy." I whispered.

He nodded. "Yeah, asking you to marry me _is_ pretty crazy." He reopened the box. "It's a good thing I'm just trying to give you a promise ring. Otherwise, you might have lost your cool." And the smirk was back.

"What?" I asked, risking my first peek at what the box encased. I sucked in a breath. It was a ring, just as I had expected. But there was no diamond. No, none at all. Instead, there were hearts. Simple and delicate hearts. They wove together like vines in a thin band of silver. It didn't look expensive or flashy. Nothing special really. That's what made it absolutely perfect. "Oh Zach…"

He was back on the floor, one knee pressed to the dark carpet while the other pointed towards the ceiling. "Cammie, I don't want anybody else because I…" I knew what he was going to say. I'd been waiting to hear the words for three years. And yet, in the short pause he took, I found that I was holding my breath. I was anticipating the words with the giddiness of a five year-old girl. "Because I love you." The sentence sounded more beautiful than I'd imagined. And believe me, I'd imagined it _a lot_.

I reached out to the table beside me for support. _This. This_ was not at all how I imagined this evening going. Once again, I was putty in Zachary Goode's hands.

He seemed to be getting antsy. He held out the ring a little further, prompting me to accept it. "So, uhm… do you want it? Or should I just…" He trailed off, pressing his lips together regretfully.

"What do you think Blackthorne Boy?" I asked affectionately, dropping to the floor beside him and wrapping my arms around his neck.

He returned the gesture eagerly. I pressed my face into his button-down shirt. It felt like ages had passed since I'd been there, safe in his embrace. I was glad to be back. I felt Zach's cheek against my head. Yes, I'd missed this.

* * *

The night progressed and Zach went on to tell me the _whole_ story. Like how he'd snagged a part-time job at Dale's Café. And how he later discovered that Dee Dee was one of his recently acquired co-workers. Then finally, how the ecstatic girl had offered her 'female opinion' on jewelry shopping.

"I still can't believe that you thought I'd actually date… _her_." Zach laughed. I shrugged. "I mean, c'mon Cams. She's just so…"

"Bright?" I offered.

"_Illuminated_." Zach continued to chuckle to himself. "I can't handle that much happy."

I rolled my eyes, smiling like an idiot. Zach's hand encircled mine on the table. His thumb found my ring and he fingered it happily, his lips morphed to match my expression.

"You're adorable." I giggled.

"Yeah, I've heard." Zach turned the ring beneath his finger.

"Oh, I almost forgot something." I set down my fork and swallowed.

"What?" He looked up from our hands. His brow creased together in worry. I shook my head at his lovable concern.

"I love you too Zach."

**Did I disappoint you? Gosh, I hope not. So that's it. THE END. :( I'm extremely glad that so many of you enjoyed the story! You guys are just… awesome. Seriously, I never imagined this story would become so popular. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! Please leave a review. :) All comments are super appreciated, whether it's constructive criticism or praise. I'd love to hear what you have to say. Thanks so much for following along through this rollercoaster of a story! If you have any questions about the ending, just ask! I'll be sure to get back to you about it. Again, because I can't say it enough, thank you all! God Bless.**

**~SpaceNut**


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